Curtain Fall - Chapter 08

By the time Jill finished with the movers (luckily having paid for their services with with a check drawn from her old account) She locked the storage space and approached the Storage facility offices. She spoke with the manager and flirted shamelessly with him (in spite of feeling like a manipulative fraud) got him to show her the documents again. Seeing she’d innocently given Carol’s address she ‘accidentally’ damaged that page and gushingly apologized for the problem. She hammed it up enough that hoping to flatter her and gain points the manager had told her not to worry about it. Smiling brilliantly she’d kissed him on the cheek and left him grinning goofily.

“Dang! This being an utter babe, can have real advantages!”, she thought to herself grinning guiltily. “Next stop: a couple of burner phones! That is one of the things you always see in the movies, right?”

Jill went to a local phone store and bought several prepay phones, again with cash, And then went back home.

“Hey Sweetie!”, Carol called out happily from the kitchen as she heard Jill enter the apartment, “How did the cleaning out of your old apartment go?”
“Well, it’s funny you asked! It felt like I was in a John le Carré novel!” Jill came into the kitchen and kissed her confused lover.

“John who?”, Carol responded after giving a happy sigh from the kiss.

“le Carré. He was a famous spy novelist from the 50’s and 60’s.” With that, she stepped back and pulled Steven Sandburg’s NSA ID card from her purse (good lord she had a purse now!), handing it to Carol. “It seems that secret parts of the government very much want to get ahold of me!”

Carol then listened with increasing distress and worry about Jill finding her old apartment under watch and the other agents she’d surprised and gotten the upper hand on. Jill then confessed her fears about this and possible dangers Carol and others might face.

“What am I going to do Carol?!?”, Jill asked it a somewhat.freaked tone, “It’s the frigging government! Men in Black and stuff!”

Carol laughed then and responded, “Hold on there, missy, if they were really that powerful and all knowing they’d already be at our door!” She thought for a moment and continued, “What actually links your new ID with your old?”

Thinking it out they came up with several obvious things:

1. Her car registered in her old name
2. Social Security number, it would reveal a link at tax time in a few months.
3. Credit card? No, as she’d been forced to open a new account early on.
4. Work records? Yes but that might be manageable.
5. Insurance? No, same as the credit card.
6. The Storage rental? No as Jill had done work there already.
7. The old bank account?

All in all as far as paperwork trails, she looked pretty good for now and had at least a little time. One wrinkle. They decided to keep the old account open after all. This way any monetary expense linkable to something the NSA might want could be kept separate for now. She’d just have to arrange for the account to go to a P.O. Box instead of a personal address. This meant there for, that if she could control the initial meetings, she might be able build a workable free arrangement!

Carol, taking charge again presented some action steps going forward. “Ok, first thing is to get rid of the car. I don’’t think we can safely sell it so it will have to be ditched or destroyed.” Jill, having no real attachment to the car save for the convenience readily agreed.

“While there isn’t much to link you to the stored stuff, I’d keep away from it for now.” Again a nod from Jill.

“As for work,” Carol continued, “Let’s speak with those in the know there. I bet they’d be willing to help protect you, as long as it wasn’t seriously illegal!”

After working things out, Jill was of a much lighter heart. She insisted that she’d still need a vehicle, however, so after putting the preparations for a meal back in the fridge they went to a used car dealership that Carol had bought from before that was known for a wide selection of reliable cars.

At the dealership, they were immediately spotted by a handsome salesman in his early thirties whose eyes lit up with less than professional interest when he saw Jill and Carol. Jill noted the predatory attention and whispered Sotto voce to Carol, “Wolf on the prowl!”

Carol broke into a startled laugh at Jill grinning as she alerted her but said nothing other than to grin in reply. Good lord, not so long ago she’d have expected Jill to become quite agitated if a man expressed interest in her. It appeared that the ‘male’ in Jill was now on life support and fading quickly! Further rumination was interrupted when the salesman raised a hand to greet them.

“Good afternoon ladies! I assume you’ve come to us to look for a car. I’d be very pleased to help you.” This was delivered As his eyes covered them both and settling on Jill’s figure before rising to her sunglass covered eyes.

Before Carol could do more than open her mouth Jill chirped, “Oh um, yeah! I need to get a car!” She glanced around gently touching the man’s arm and continued, “I want an exciting, adventure car. You know, like a Jeep! You think you could find me one?”

The salesman’s smile grew as visions of both an easy sale with a tidy profit and perhaps an opportunity for more with this stunning airhead. Ignored and to the side Carol looked at Jill with a Gobsmacked expression. In stunned amazement she seemed to come to a decision and just stood back and watch the show.

The salesman, Edward they learned, had a number of possibilities. If she’d wait a minute he’d look up their location on the lot and be right back to lead her to them. Carol broke down giggling after he’d retreated out of earshot and clutching Jill’s elbow whispered, “Who the fudge are you and what have you done with my lover?!?!?”

“A little while ago I found out how easy it is to get men to do things for me.” She giggled as well. “I thought I’d see how hard it was to repeat!”

“Oh my god! I think I created a monster! Are you sure you were ever a guy?”

They were both giggling as Edward returned with a printout of possibilities. Smiling as the giggling women looked up at him he offered his arm to Jill and asked her to accompany him. Jill and Carol were both shown several Jeeps (2 Wranglers, 1 Cherokee, and 1 Grand Cherokee) and Jill listened with rapt attention as he listened to Edward wax poetic about the stereo system and other interior features as well as upgrades the lot offered to help with like white sidewalls. Jill was ‘excited’ and often touching Edward took photos of the cars from several angles. She also noted which cars Ed seemed most eager to push her. By the time they returned to the showroom Edward was fighting to avoid showing his ‘excitement’ and was clearly no longer thinking of profit.

At this point Jill was able to in gushing tones lead Edward into revealing a few of the hidden problems these Jeeps might have. At Carol’s request they were also able to get Car Fax reports on the vehicles, but Edward was confident Jill wouldn’t recognize any warning signs.

“Oh Eddie, all those cars were so cute! Can I have a few minutes to get my friend’s advice on which car I want?” He happily said yes and retreated to the water fountain.

Once again alone they both broke out giggling with Carol again expressing amazement. Jill was playing Ed like a stradivarius. “Well I am cheating a bit.”, Jill admitted, “Being able to know his feelings makes it easy to manipulate him.” Sensing a feeling of shock and concern from Carol, Jill guessed she might be wondering if she did the same to others and her. Jill, quickly continued, “Oh my God, I would never try to work you love! With you I know I can alway be honest and show my true thoughts and feelings to you. You’ve become my anchor! For reasons I’ll never truly understand, you love me! Even if I’m a freak and not a real girl.” This was said with glistening eyes.

Carol, seeing the sincere emotions and desperate need in Jill’s expression teared up a bit as well and grasped her lover’s hands tightly. She silently mouthed, “I love you.”

After that quick exchange they brought themselves under control and looked at the provided paperwork. From them they settled on the red 2 door 7 speed Jeep Wrangler with the ability to easily adjust the suspension for off-road driving.

When Edward returned Jill expressed her choice, a bit to his surprise. He’d expected her to go with the prettier metallic purple Grand Cherokee. He offered the price and was again amazed when she pointed out work that might need to be done based on the Car reports and worked the price down until he was at a point where, though he still made a profit, it was nothing like he’d initially expected based on her ‘flighty’ behavior. With an additional minor discount from her willingness to pay in full the deal was struck.

An additional half hour and he placed the keys in Jill’s hand. Giving her his most charming smile and grasping her hand now clutching the keys he asked her if she might like to go to coffee with him later that week.

Jill smiled coyly and slipped by Carol’s side. “I don’t know dear, what do you think? Should we take him out for coffee or dinner sometime?” Jill then leaned into Carol an planted a passionate kiss on her.

Carol made a happy contented sound, “I suppose we could think about it. There’s that nice place, the Frosty Dog, not far from here. While Edward’s mouth hung open Carol returned Jill’s lusty kiss. With arms around each other’s waist they looked over to Ed.

To his great credit he shook himself out of his astonishment and started chuckling. With growing amusement and chagrin he looked at the two and wished them well with their purchase.

Seeing how good natured he was being Jill made a quick decision and pulled her glasses off. Smiling with great warmth she pulled back the hijab as well and looked him in the eyes. “Thank you Ed, you’ve made this purchase a real treat. You are a true gentleman and if you’re interested, I’d like to call you a friend!” She then stepped up to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

He blushed furiously and started to chuckle thanks when her hair and eyes provoked a memory. Eyes widening he made the link between this beauty and the hero at the Acme. “Oh wow! You’re the su-“

His voice suddenly silenced by her finger gently crossing his lips. Smiling sheepishly she said, “Again, thank you. My friend?”

Bursting with excitement he nodded and watched them leave, after she replaced the headwear and glasses. Carol smiled nervously and as they started to walk and pantomimed locking her lips and throwing the key away. He nodded knowingly as they left his presence.

The next morning, a sunny Sunday, Jill in her old, rather Gills old car, drove once again to the junk yard and into a secluded area. Carol followed in her own. Jill stopped and as Carol parked nearby, and got out of the car. She made one last check to make sure there was nothing left that could link her to it and then proceeded to shock Carol as she tried to push herself and see how strong her telekinesis was. She picked the car up and proceeded to begin crushing it.
To the sound of popping rubber, shattering glass, and pops and groaning sounds of metal deforming Jill compressed the car as much as she could. Carol watched with utter amazement and not a little fear as she saw the car crunch inwards, tighter and tighter. Smaller and smaller it became. Smaller than the blocks made by those industrial hydrolic car presses. In then end, she reduced the car to a ball less than 2 ft. in diameter that had almost nothing to give its origins as a vehicle away. The pressure had been great enough in fact to cause combustables in the car to ignite so trails of smoke seeped out from within.

“Wow, that a little terrifying hon.”, Carol remarked a little shakily as she drove them both back home.

“I know what you mean, it scares the crap out of me that I can be so destructive.” She shuddered. “Love, don’t ever let me loose sight of how dangerous I might be if I’m not careful. Don’t let me become a monster!”

Seeing the distress and worry in Jill strangely comforted Carol and put her more at ease. “I promise love. But I don’t think that will ever be a problem because you really care. This power is something I don’t think you’ll ever take lightly.”

“I hope so. I really hope so...”

Returning home they relaxed over lunch and then Jill broached the topic of the government contact attempts that would doubtless come. How should she approach it? Deciding she needed more heads, she called Gary and Maggie both.

A part of Jill was still amazed that she felt the need to reach out. A guy wouldn’t be nearly as likely to ask for help. She, on the other hand, realized she needed, even craved, the comfort of the support they would give as well as helping her plan. She found she no longer wanted to be the “masculine island of strength” boys are often raised to want to be.

Maybe it was an affect of her empathic abilities or maybe she had finally become the woman she looked like, but she found she needed the touch and sharing that was ascribed to the “softer” sex. Her need to compete and dominate had quite evaporated as a primary driving force. She’d always, as a guy, felt that women were the weaker sex. Now she’d come to understand that nothing was further from the truth. Women could be just as tough, as strong as a man. She’d concluded that women were often stronger, emotionally if not physically, than men and she’d come to understand that a woman’s need to reach out and share was often the source of that strength. She chuckled to herself, “I’m becoming such a girl aren’t I?...”

When her friends arrived, they hugged and shared a bottle of wine and a block of cheese and settled down to plan and prepare contingencies.

Gary proved invaluable as he presented the more aggressive mindset that government officials would likely have. He cynically didn’t believe that would be able to just meet and talk. He felt they’d almost certainly look for ways to bring her into their power. The more aggressive would likely push for ways to get a military presence in the area so if they felt threatened they could take Jill out. When asked how, he provided a number of possibilities; each more extreme than the last. These options ranged from using master martial artists or powered soldiers, to snipers or automated gun emplacements. More drastic ideas included drones with Hellfire missiles or artillery. The most ridiculous was suggesting they might even use a small nuke if they felt threatened enough, but he considered that last too extreme for serious planning.

Maggie suggested they might use thermal imaging to follow her to and from the meeting place.

Carol then stepped back and asked if she should even meet them at first? Why not set up some way to remotely observe a scheduled meeting to see how they behaved. If they acted in good faith she’d rearrange a meet and move forward. If they didn’t or at least pushed it she could choose how to respond if she wanted to move forward. They all agreed that that was a brilliant suggestion.

With these ideas in mind Jill added another question, she admitted to strength and being perceptive of human threat, but up to this point she’d also been lucky. She couldn’t count on that luck to continue. She also made it clear that she was not in anyway particularly resistant to injury. A surprise or lucky attack could easily injure or kill her. She needed a way to protect herself.

Gary jokingly said it was a shame that Jill couldn’t use the new armor plates they were making at work. At this both Carol and Jill froze and looked at each other. Then Jill jumped up and moved to give Gary a big kiss on the mouth, squealing, “Gary you are a genius!!”

With Gary sputtering and blushing, Jill and Carol talking excitedly suggested that was exactly something Jill could do. After convincing Gary and Maggie it was workable they drew out simple shapes and dimensions for these plates. Carol, thinking of the car Jill made earlier, even suggested that if they cut a proper pattern Jill could even have a breastplate at least (both knew Jill had the strength to bend a properly shaped plate into something she could wear.

From all this they came up with action plans:

1. Gary and Jill would begin cutting the plates from the armor’s source metal.
2. Maggie would source remote sensing equipment for the at least first meeting.
3. Carol and Jill would scope out and settle on meeting locations and work on defeating high flying thermal imaging.

——————————————

Feber paced his office his office in fury. He couldn’t believe how clumsy his agents had been. “How could they be so sloppy to have BOTH teams discovered? Were they that poorly trained or was this woman’s support that good?” He turned to his desk and punched his intercom, Sally! Are the two agents she spoke with here yet?!?”

“I have been told they’ve left the train station and should be here in 10 minutes.”

“Escort them to my office immediately upon entering the building! No delays!”

“Yes sir! I’ll make security aware.”

David punched the disconnect. Damn it! Not even a week after getting his superiors to agree to a light hand, and his own subordinates had screwed things up: discovered and even confronted by the Fallen woman. How much worse could things get? He stalked to a glass pitcher in his office and poured himself some iced water. Regretting for once having sworn off alcohol he sipped the water and moved to gaze across the portion of the Potomac River his window looked out over.

As he considered the possible fallout this mistake might provoke, he heard a knock on his office door. He looked at it as his secretary poked her head in to inform him of the arrival of the agents. Placing his glass on a small table by the window he told her to send them in.

Sandburg and his partner walked in looking like they expected to shortly be on their way to Gnome Alaska if not Guantanamo.

Obviously attempting to bring his anger under control David began, “All right, I’m going to try to give you the benefit of the doubt, so I’m going to let you explain to me exactly how events unfolded.” He paused to give them an unforgiving stare, “Start at the beginning of your assignment and tell me exactly how things progressed. Be completely honest. I have no patience for either of you trying to play CYA...”

Shifting nervously, they began. Sandburg related that they’d received their orders 4 days previously. They’d been instructed to attempt to observe and then meet Mr. Vehaen to see if they might learn the identity of his lady friend. Unfortunately, when they arrived they quickly discovered that Vehaen had not been seen months. Indeed not since the Curtain Fall. They suspected he’d not been vanished, however, as cash had continued to arrive for rent. Unfortunately, the apartment had not been used since the Fall. Then yesterday afternoon a moving truck and a young woman had arrived! This woman apparently had keys and directed the movers to empty the apartment. Those on station in the stakeout truck alerted them of the woman’s arrival, and on their own initiative they made the decision to follow at a distance. Not to apprehend, rather to simply see where they might be headed. They left Vehaen’s apartment complex and followed the moving truck until it pulled into a fast food restaurant where they all entered apparently to eat. They made no mover to approach.

“Then suddenly she was at the car! Somehow, she opened the car door, and jumped into the back seat. Once in she totally immobilized us a-“

“Immobilized how!?”, Faber barked.

“S- Suddenly our seatbelts tightened into an almost choking straight jacket and she caused our hands to stick to the roof of the car!”

“OK; then what happened?”

“The woman then asked who we and who those in the truck were. We didn’t learn till later that she’d drawn police to deal with them.”

Steve looked down, and continued, “We tried not to tell her anything or at least mislead her, but she seemed able to tell when we’d try. After she rifled our clothes and discovered we were government agents, she destroyed our weapons and gave us these instructions...”

Steve then proceed to relate what the mystery woman had instructed them to tell their superiors about future contact with the second agent, Fred, correcting him occasionally. Clearly the manner of their capture had impressed on them the need to remember her instructions.

“All right, you said she also mentioned her name. What was it?”, David pursued after realizing that the woman had seemingly made an effort not to injure them or the others; only subdue or tie them up. This might mean she’d not felt threatened by them.

“She told us to call her Lady Adrasteia.”

Steve, who had begun to hope that their careers weren’t over after all, watched with a sinking stomach as the Deputy Director started at the name and began cursing with great feeling. He didn’t understand why just a name might provoke such a negative reaction but he feared there was a good reason.

David wound down and finally, ordered the men to write down what they’d seen and heard. He also asked them to offer their view of her state of mind. Was she calm? Annoyed? Angry? Of a stable mind?

With these reports he dismissed them and was left to ponder what he’d learned. Between this disaster and reports he was starting to receive that a few of the troops in Brazil had started going missing, He thought he needed to gather some of ‘his’ advisors and formulate how inform the cabinet members so as not to panic them. With evidence piling up that she might be nobility from the dome in Brazil after all (Lady Adrasteia?) national defense concerns might make keeping things under his control more difficult...

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Over the next two weeks, during which Jill received her first personal, they carried preparations out for a future actual meeting. The biggest problem with the gear proved to be the breast plate as it took more time than they expected for Jill to gain the skill of shaping and then padding and binding the front and back chest plates. The final result, while not tightly form fitting did do the job. The padding, while not comfortable long term made the chest armor workable. Jill felt as ready as she could be.

During that time, Samantha, in her typical “bulldozer” style, “overheard” that Jill was dealing with more hero stuff and announced that Jill needed a hero costume. As she worked at a clothier store as a seamstress she took it upon herself to make a proper suit for Jill. What she came up with was beautiful full length form fitting gown of a luxurious satin in deep red. Full sleeved and reaching to the floor it had a slit on the side up to her mid-thigh to allow for ease of movement and possessed a ‘modestly’ plunging neckline. Jill felt it looked pornographic on her but was assured was not. It simply accentuated her her not overlarge assets. The gown/costume was also Trimmed with silver accents. Carol, Sam and Gary all felt that she really did look like a fairy princess when wearing it! Gary also announced she was totally hot when in it. Was she sure she was gay? He only whined a little when Carol smacked him in the back of the head to the accompaniment of laughter.

When she wore the cuirass, used the plates and wore the new retro style leather boots she’d found with a modest heel (she was getting excited about shoes??) she thought, as did the others that she moved past “princess” and became a warrior queen! Between leather bracers they found at a shop that sold high end archery equipment (Sam would gussy them up as well) and jewelry accessories that Carol insisted they acquire one afternoon after work the look was finished. It was stunning and protective. Jill might not feel quite ready to meet the spooks directly yet, but when she did she’d cut an awe inspiring figure!

The first encounter with the government went as Gary had predicted. Jill had chosen a site in the Cibola National Forest just north-east of the city that was within a couple of miles of a ranger station; and as a result had moderate cellular reach. Around a small clearing in the forest of conifers she’d hidden over a dozen battery powered home security cameras that were linked to burner phones. Motion sensitive, the ones viewing the clearing would broadcast those that entered and the remainder, secreted in the surrounding area might catch snipers or troops in reserve.

Into the clearing came 5 men. Four carried themselves with the fluid intensity of special forces soldiers. The fifth was a man in his late forties whom the soldiers seemed to be watchful of.

As they stood and looked about the clearing one of the peripheral cameras picked up a squad of over 20 soldiers. Most seemed like standard troops. One darted about so rapidly, however, that the cameras had difficulty imaging him unless he stopped.

After about 40 minutes they concluded she was not coming and they left. This showed to Jill and Carol that those calling the shots were still arrogantly convinced that they could easily deal with her, although the “speedster” suggested that they were becoming more cautious of what Jill could do.

Honestly Jill wished she could do nothing and just disappear, but she assumed that if the government were serious about finding her (their behavior thus far suggesting it) it was only a matter of time. So she’d have to try again to make peaceful contact. Perhaps this time she’d have better luck. But just in case...

With this decision made, Jill began carrying out a few of the contingencies. Additionally she began applying herself in a effort to become facile with the plates.

——————————————

Adam Bosarge, one of the investigative reporters working for the Albuquerque Journal, sat going over the latest article he was assembling on abuses revolving around the mismanagement of the city’s VA center. While needed, as this had been a problem since his father’s time, it was a bit like eating a bag of saltines: Filling and mildly pleasant, but not a thrill. As he readied himself to begin typing, however, the phone on his desk started ringing. With a sigh of relief, he picked it up and spinning his chair away from his computer said, “Hello, this is Bosarge speaking.”

A woman’s rich but husky voice over the line, “Adam Bosarge?”

“Yes, yes. Who are you and how may I help you?”, he replied somewhat impatiently.

“I have need of your assistance. I would very much like your help with a meeting I’m soon to arrange.”
Irritation growing Adam barked, “And why exactly do I need to be involved?”

“I need help making safe contact with the new F-Branch of the NSA.”

“Look lady, I really don’t have time to deal with one of you conspiracy nuts you kn-“

His voice trailed off as he felt a winter’s chill run down his back and the voice continued with a tone of mild irritation, “Turn around Mr. Bosarge and please look out your fifth story window.”

With dread, feeling a bit like a character in one of those slasher flicks, he turned to see a stunningly beautiful being floating outside holding a cell phone; at least 15 feet away from the window! “Meet me on the roof please Mr. Bosarge; I feel we might talk a bit more pleasantly perhaps.”

While Adam stood staring with his mouth open, the woman hung up the call and floated up and out of view.

Simply dropping the phone to the floor he turned and dashed like a mad man out his office door and up two flights to the door mark “ROOF”. Wheezing as he approached and prepared to slam the door open past the emergency lock, the door silently swung open and Adam almost stumbled as the expected opposing force never appeared.

He staggered gracelessly (still wheezing) to a stop and cast about wildly only to see the heroine from the Acme holding her hands to her mouth and giggling. “You looked like you were about to hurt yourself at the door there! Take a bit. Try to get your wind back Mr. Bosarge!”

Adam leaned over with a hand supporting him on his knee he feebly pointed a finger at the woman and wheezed, “Y- yo- you are the heroine at the Acme!!”

Still giggling, she affirmed that she was and continued that she’d already had a couple of less than pleasant encounters with the government’s entirely too aggressive agency charged with the control of dangerous Fallen. “Because of this, and other governments’ histories of making uncomfortable people disappear, I feel I need to have myself heard by the public in hopefully a more positive light!”

Before he could take that statement in the wrong way she assured him that she only wanted him to present what he found was the truth. His opinions and his writing would be entirely his own.

With his questioning she called herself “Lady Adrasteia“. She declined to give her ‘common’ name in an effort to protect those who’d become close to her. Nor did she give her background or history other than she’d been born in this very city and assuring him he’d likely find it rather difficult to believe.

Adam chuckled, responding, “More difficult to believe than flying around and saving people from Rock Monsters?” The Lady chuckled ruefully and acknowledged the point but remained firm in her reticence.

She, however, did give him information of her experiences with the F-NSA. She detailed the police involvement with the “stake out” as proof of their presence also handed him an SD card which she said gave evidence of her most recent attempt at contact. He pulled his own phone and plugged it in. On the card were a number of photos and short videos showing the soldiers and David Feber, Deputy Director of the F-branch. Also contained were a few photos of Lady Adastreia. In them she looked like a Warrior Goddess! She was dressed in a resplendent crimson gown, her hair restrained by a tiara of silver and onyx to keep hair from her face, but otherwise allowed its considerable length to flow freely in a seeming turbulent wind. In another she’d added an iridescent chest plate and leather bracers. In them both she wore an expression of firm resolve, but with just a tiny grin forming as if she were about to break into a snicker.

“The deputy director huh? Any chance you might be able to locate him while he’s here?”, Jill asked with a devilish grin.

Adam started grinning an avowed he could likely help there. He looked at his notes and the photos and thought to himself,“Dang... Pulitzer here I come!”

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Posted in the Albuquerque Village

To Yearning for Adrasteia -

-Adrasteia -