Chapter Eleven – “Cold Spots”

It was no bigger than a pea, but the glint that darted across Kacie’s closed eyelids made the girl stir. Her eyelashes parted timidly, not ready to greet the offending glimmer. Carefully, she tried to lift her limb, hoping to shield herself from the light. Coarse, scratchy fibers cut into her arm, meeting her motion with stubborn resistance. Another attempt was met with the same opposition, and the groggy realization that she could not move either her arms or her legs snapped her out of her stupor. The suffocating tackiness of a piece of duct tape muffled the brackish language that tried to escape her lips. Assured of her impediment, Kacie focused a baleful glare on her captors.

Her ire went unnoticed. The two women who were left to guard the choleric girl had more important things on their minds, namely a game of Uno. Worse than the fact that they completely disregarded her existence, however, was the knowledge of what her captors were. One blonde, one brunette, both dressed in a way that made Kacie cringe. The first thing she noticed was the steel-plated ninja headband one of them wore, which was tilted at an angle so that it covered one of her eyes. The headband, etched with a spiral shape in the middle, reflected the sun right into Kacie’s eyes. Even squinting, she saw a lot that she did not like, however. Their outfits consisted of striped pink and black leggings, hats with soulless black eyes and cute cat ears, pleated skirts, bandages wrapped around their forearms and beaded necklaces with a teardrop shaped pendant. It was like they piecemealed all the worst fashion trends of the 80s, Goth and emo culture. Only one type of person would be so oblivious to think that their hodgepodge outfits were actually fashionable. She was being held captive by anime fangirls.

As the girls took turns laying their cards down, the brunette started to hum. It was a tune that Kacie was quite familiar with, and by the sound of it so was the blonde.

“Bad Horse,” she broke into song. The brunette girl smiled and repeated the line.

“Bad Horse,” they sang again, one repeating the other.

“He rides across the nation, the thoroughbred of sin.” The first one sang.

“He got the application that you just sent in.”

Kacie started to wriggle her lips, gradually loosening the duct tape that stifled her own voice from ringing out.

“It needs evaluation, so let the games begin.”

“A heinous crime, a show of force…”

“A murder would be nice of course.”

“Ba–”

“HELP!” Kacie shrilly shouted, interrupting the next verse of the girls’ song. The square of duct tape that once covered her mouth now dangled from her cheek by just a corner.

The poorly dressed women both turned, at last discovering that their prisoner was no longer unconscious. Despite the girl’s screams, neither one was quick to correct the behavior. Instead, the brunette woman looked back down at her cards, shuffling them in her hand.

“You’re wasting your breath.” The blonde said calmly to the noisy girl tied up across the room.

“Bite me!” Kacie shouted back in the spoiled child tone that she so often used when things did not go her way.

“Seriously, it would be better for all of us if you just sat there and behaved yourself. I don’t have to listen to your screeching. You don’t strain your voice. We all come up smelling like roses.”

“Why the hell should I listen to some Gaia-dressed reject like you?”

“Because I’m going to get mad if you don’t!” The blonde raised her voice.

“What’s Gaia?” The brunette asked, not looking up from her hand.

“It’s this big black hole in the middle of the internet where people that want to be Japanese and those even too socially inept for Second Life go to hang out. The avatars there look a lot like you patchwork mother fuckers.”

“Language!” The woman in front of Kacie yelled, striking the insolent girl’s cheek with her palm.

Kacie’s skin blistered, giving her rosy cheeks that some women would kill for, though at the price of feeling as if she was just stung by a wasp. In reckless defiance, Kacie aimed her chilling blue eyes back at her attacker and grinned in a way that dared the woman to repeat her action.

“Aww, what’s the matter? Do the naughty words make you want to run home to mommy?” Kacie goaded her.

“I’m this close to–”

“This close to what? To washing my mouth out with soap? I’d like to see yo–”

Right as Kacie’s mouth formed the “O” sound, her voice was squelched by the bitter taste of steel shoved into her mouth. Her eyes converged on the barrel of a pistol, which from her perspective protruded from her lips in quite the menacing way. The life-threatening sound of the hammer clicking into position did not serve to ease her worries either.

“Actually, I thought I’d wash it out with bullets. What do you have to say to that, Miss Smarty-Pants?” The blonde asked with a sense of superiority, her finger itching to pull the trigger.

“Uno!” Her companion shouted, looking up, rather surprised to see nobody sitting across from her at the table.

 

***

 

“Luz Vem Adiante!” Miranda spoke and a flame flickered to life, hovering in midair a few steps in front of the teenage witch.

The orange glow was just enough to illuminate the inside of the tower. It was an ominous sight. Cobwebs were everywhere, on the walls, and strung between spirals of the staircase that ascended endlessly into the darkness. It seemed as if there were cobwebs that were only attached to other cobwebs.

“I know you said that this Anansi was a spider, but there’s more webbing here than Peter Parker’s seen in forty plus years of comics.” Emma commented, her blonde pigtails bouncing as they hesitantly started to climb.

She trailed a few steps behind Miranda and R.J., who seemed intent on leading the trio despite the fact that Miranda’s conjuration was the only light piercing the darkness. Though, it was not as if having his strength at the front of the line did not have its advantages. Upon reaching a gap in the stone steps, where the stairs themselves had been reduced to a treacherous slope of rubble, R.J.’s muscle came in handy.

“Wait here, I’ll go to the other side and then pull you up.” He instructed the girls before nimbly crossing to safety.

R.J. clutched Miranda’s outstretched hand and pulled her up into his arms.

“Thanks, R.J.” She said in a demure manner, giving her friend a warm smile for his assistance.

“Anytime. I didn’t hurt you when I lifted you, did I?”

“No, no, you were very gentle. I would have hurt myself much worse if I tried to climb up myself.”

Emma stared at the couple. Obviously, she was the only one that was aware of how awkwardly long their embrace was.

“Think you could give me a hand sometime this century?” Emma said as she cleared her throat.

Miranda and R.J. quickly snapped away from one another. Miranda’s cheeks turned a rosy red that matched her sweater. Emma could tell by R.J.’s posture that he was blushing too, although she could not see it in his chocolate complexion. She snickered as he lifted her to the other side.

“Ooh, R.J., you’re so big and strong. I wish I could just rest in your powerful arms forever.” Emma mused in a sing-song voice while looking directly at Miranda.

“That is not what I sound like! I swear you are insufferable at times, Emma Jean!” Miranda scolded her friend, trying her best to hide the fact that her cheeks were giving off more heat than their guiding flame at the moment.

“Oh, it so is! You were practically quivering in his arms,” Emma teased. “R.J., go ahead and tell her. She melted when you embraced her.”

“I’m not gonna say any such thing!”

“Well, we all know that’s because you think she’s gorgeous,” Emma sing-songed again, “you want to kiss her, you want to hug her, you want to lo–”

“Emma, quiet down. We’re here.”

The Tandy students looked up at the imposing door in front of them. On the other side of that door, was the King of All Stories, the only creature that could melt the ice that imprisoned the Fabled Knight. R.J.’s hand shuddered as he grasped the large iron ring and pushed the door open. Miranda’s mind raced with what spells she should cast, should the situation go downhill. Emma lingered behind her friends, the urge to quote Jurassic Park or Jaws replaced by the fear that she would not be able to see any movie ever again.

 

Simon stopped reading, much to the dismay of the children in the theater.

“Don’t stop! This is the good part!” Lilly, the little girl that Simon remembered from his brief discussion with Anne, shouted from the front row.

The slate-eyed young man stopped with good reason though. The man in charge was walking across the stage with a purpose, and right towards him. Simon could see that Robin looked a bit surprised to see a meek-looking bald man reading from Miranda West and the Frozen Fable instead of the book’s author. He left the book open on the podium, and stepped away so that the children could not hear whatever discussion was about to take place.

“You’re Robin, right?”

“Yes, I was looking for Anne. She said she would be in here reading to the kids. You don’t know where she is perchance, do you?” Robin asked, clearly a bit of concern in his voice.

“She ran out the front entrance about an hour ago. She didn’t tell me where she was going, but she wanted me to tell you not to worry about her. You might not believe this, but she had a fairy with her. If I had to guess, there’s some sort of problem going on out there that required her help.”

“I’m willing to believe about anything after the last couple of days,” Robin responded with a sigh. “But let me get this straight, she goes cavalierly running off into an obviously dangerous world to help on something that only a witch can handle, and she wants me to not worry about her? Of course I’m going to worry about her!”

Robin threw his arms up in the air in frustration. Simon nervously kept looking towards the children, worried that they would hear that their hero was in danger. After all, in his dismay, Robin’s tone was much louder than he probably intended.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to shoot the messenger.” Robin quieted down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Thank you for giving me the message, and thank you for sticking around to read to the kids. If there’s one thing we don’t need right now it’s frightened children. Forgive me, but I didn’t even ask your name.”

“Oh, it’s um… Simon.” The bald young man responded. “I’m um… Haley Ravenlock’s assistant.”

“Oh, shouldn’t you be up on the roof helping her get the power back on?” Robin asked, pausing for a moment. “And correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you an overgrown Power Girl clone this morning?”

“Yeah, I was. To make a long story short, I’m not anymore. That’s actually what I came to talk to Anne about, but obviously she didn’t have time to help me.” Simon said, sullenly. “And Haley sent me on an errand, not that she really needs my help anyway.”

“I think I’m starting to find out what that feels like myself,” Robin responded. “I feel like I’m in over my head here. We’ve got witches and demons and fairies and amazons running around, and here I am just an ordinary guy with no special skills whatsoever.”

“Nonsense, you’ve done a great job filling in as a leader. Without you, there would probably be panic and rioting. This place was attacked by a giant lizard, and yet it’s still pretty calm around here.”

“Yeah, but I also got a bunch of people killed. Anne knows magic and could have probably saved the kidnapped men, but I wouldn’t let her go because I was afraid she would get hurt.” Robin looked down, balling up his fist as if he was trying to hold something back. “Now, one of my best friends is out there, missing. I sent a bunch of girls to correct the mistake I made and I have no idea if they’re even capable of handling it. On top of all that, Anne is out there anyway and there’s nothing I can do about it!”

“Robin, listen, I’m starting to learn that the women around here are far more capable of handling themselves than us men are.” Simon gripped Robin’s shoulder. “You just need to trust that things will turn out okay. I know that if anything bad ever happened to Haley, I would want to kill whoever was responsible for it, but if I spent all my time worrying about that, I really would be no help to her at all.”

The slightest hint of a smile cracked Robin’s dour expression as he peered into Simon’s slate grey eyes. The concern that Anne could be in trouble and that he was somehow responsible for all of that was still there, but he was coming to the realization that it was not something that he should dwell on.

“Here, I need to get back to the roof with this stuff for Haley,” Simon started. “How about you finish reading to the kids? I’m sure Anne would love it if you did, and I have it on good authority that it’s just getting to the good part.”

“Thanks, Simon. For a guy that I met just a few minutes ago, you sure know how to put things in perspective.” Robin stated, his smile shining through even more. “Good luck with Haley by the way. She’d be foolish to not see what a great guy you are.”

Simon grinned, and with a wave headed off the stage. An eerie feeling passed through him right as he reached the edge of the platform. Considering that there had been no air conditioning for more than a day and they were in the middle of a sweltering jungle, the air right there was practically frigid. His breath puffed in a cloud of smoke ahead of him and a cold shiver passed up his arm, making minuscule goosebumps appear on his skin. After that sensation, he doubled his walking speed and hightailed it right out of the theater.

 

***

 

The bloodhound in Jenette came to form, quite literally. In a cacophony of bones cracking, the demon woman got down on all fours. Her body length shortened and both her demonic and human features faded away, leaving behind saggy skin covered in brown and black fur, but more importantly a canine’s best tool, its nose.

The few onlookers in the hotel’s lobby shrieked and gave the shapeshifting creature a wide berth, despite the affable look the dog gave them, wagging her tail like she just wanted to make friends. There would be time for that later, however, especially with the mystery of the bloody boot prints to solve.

Sniff, sniff. Jenette pressed her canid nose to the carpet and trotted along at a brisk pace, following the prints as they shambled through the lobby. That was the best way to describe them, after all. The prints were not arranged like those of the typical human gait. Instead, the reminded the devilish woman of those of someone with a broken leg or a limp. Having broken quite a few human legs over her long career, it was unmistakable.

The trail continued up to the second floor, where if Jenette remembered correctly, the hotel’s mini-mall was located. She had always found humans’ obsession with shopping to be rather silly. After all, why would anyone spend time looking through a store when they could just shift into any outfit they desired? Humans sure were stupid creatures, though they had the best mysteries. For instance, the one she was currently working on had just taken a turn, a turn to the left. Despite the fact that the bloody prints continued up the stairs, the smell she was following now went in an entirely different direction.

Jenette sat up on her hid paws, scratching her chin as if she was in a deep state of thought. Once again, her actions attracted some attention, because if you have ever seen a dog try to take a pose similar to that of The Thinker, then you know that it is quite the silly sight. The giggles of a small child and the insinuation that she was “like Scooby-Doo” were not enough to deter the demon though, she had an important decision to make. Should she follow the scent or stay on the track that the footprints took. Either way, she expected that her curiosity would be rewarded with something quite interesting, and since she was a dog and not a cat, there was no reason not to sate her curiosity.

After some careful deliberation, it was decided that what you cannot see was far more interesting that what you can see, besides, she had turned herself into a dog so that she could track a scent, and if she did not follow that scent she would have totally wasted that time. So, she gave the new trail a quick sniff and then headed off knowing that she was having far more fun at the moment than her sister probably was.

 

***

 

Breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, so it was no surprise that after a buffet of sallow-skinned geeks in the morning, Anibelle was left quite unsatisfied. They were pasty and full of grease like bad fast food. The succubus wanted a steak dinner, and she knew just the person to provide her with one. The strong will Robin had shown her during his speech sparked the demon’s lust. She imagined that the young leader had enough ferocity to keep her sated for days, even weeks. Perhaps it was the fact that he brushed her off the last time she tried to feed on him, something that she was not accustomed to, but she knew that her needs would not be satisfied until she had a romp in the sack with the man in the knight-polo.

The fiendish enchantress adjusted the bust of her dress. There was no sense leaving anything to chance this time around. Her pheromones were set to their most seductive level, she was wearing a dress that no man could ignore, and her demonic features were about as concealed as they were going to get. Best of all, there was no Jenette to foul things up. This mission required precision.

Anibelle rapped lightly on Anne’s dressing room door. Any alone time that Robin spent was spent in this room, and after sensing her potential meal out, she knew that he was alone. When he answered the door, she was posing in a way that not only dripped sensuality, but somehow managed to remain casual.

“Hello there, meat muffin. I was wondering if you wanted to join me for dinner.” Anibelle cooed, turning on her charm, not that it was needed.

Robin’s jaw dropped like he was in a Tex Avery cartoon. His eyes naturally went to Ani’s generous breasts, which she had perfectly framed. At the moment, it was hard for the young man to imagine that there was anything more delectable in the world.

“I… uh… was just…” Robin stammered.

Anibelle looked past his shoulder to a plate that consisted of a cold hot dog, a bag of chips and a lukewarm soda.

“Oh, I see, you’re already eating. Well, I guess I’ll just have to think of some other activity that can occupy our time.”

The succubus sauntered past the dumbfounded man, swaying her hips and lowering her seductive scent just a hair. Her trap was working far too well, and she wanted a chance to savor this experience. She wanted a strong leader, not a drooling idiot. Robin’s stupor slowly lifted.

“I’m sorry, where are my manners? Come on in.” The man said sincerely, shutting the door behind Ani.

“I see that the redheaded witch isn’t around. What happened? Is she too busy messing with things she shouldn’t to notice what a succulent piece of flesh you are?”

Robin’s head lowered. If there was anything the demon was good at, it was striking a nerve in people, and once again, she had succeeded.

“She left. Apparently, there was some kind of emergen–”

“Oh, I’m sorry. You poor thing, you must be so cold and alone. Here you are, worrying your head off over the woman and she goes running off without even a goodbye?” Anibelle carefully wove her web. “Why don’t you just forget about her and come over here so I can make it better?”

Robin was shocked at the demon’s softness, and after another dose of her natural perfume, he was securely in her thrall again.  He needed no more invitation to settle down amongst cushions that were too hard to be very comfortable. It was not the best spot for lovemaking, but neither Anibelle, nor her current prey seemed to notice. The demon gave him a wry grin and then inched closer, until she was practically on top of him, her warm skin inviting him to touch her. Robin’s eyes were once again focused on her perfect bosom, however.

“You really have a thing for breasts, don’t you? Most girls would want a little eye contact, but I’m not complaining.” Anibelle chortled.

“Yes, my friends tease me sometimes and call me the Inbreastigator,” the stupefied man admitted.

“I like the sound of that. How about I find a better seat, and we’ll see how apt that nickname really is.”

Without ceremony, Anibelle picked herself up and plopped her masterful rear down on Robin’s lap. Unsurprisingly, she found that her charms were working things to their proper alignment. She gave her butt a wiggle and before she could react, felt her perfect pair being supported by more than her bra. She gave a pleased squeal as her handholds were clenched.

“I do love when a man takes charge.”

There was no need for further convincing. Robin turned the demon’s head and locked lips with her, while Anibelle feigned submission. She knew she was the one in control, but when everything was working to her advantage, why would she ever let the man know it?

 

***

 

“You know, when they asked me if I’d be willing to go back in time in order to save the future, I thought it sounded ridiculous, like something out of a James Cameron movie. I wasn’t sure that I was doing the right thing either. You never can be sure if you’re hooking up with the right kind of people in the henching business, but the fact that we have demons, witches and inventors creating death machines opposing us, really sets my mind at ease. I would hate to think that we’re just some sort of throw away villains,” Agent Midea mused.

Cronocke pulled the sound dampeners off his head and turned to his partner. The sound of metal drilling into the concrete floor of the basement was deafening, leaving the man no other choice but to switch it off.

“Did you just say something? I could have sworn I saw your gums flapping.”

“Oh, I was just saying that it’s comforting that we’re the good guys this time around.”

“Well, that’s really a matter of perspective, isn’t it?” Cronocke asked, not expecting an answer. “Look at it from their point of view. We’re coming in from the future, attacking them before they’ve done anything wrong. Sure, if we go by our understanding in the future, we’re the good guys, but I doubt anybody here is going to throw us a ticker tape parade.”

“I guess so, but when we go back home, we’ll be heroes. I’m going to settle into a nice henching job on some tropical paradise and spend all day playing Japanese RPGs while beautiful women tend to my every need.”

“Yeah, sure you are,” Cronocke laughed. “But not until we finish up here. These thermal cubes aren’t going to install themselves, and Mr. Blake seems convinced that this whole job will be easier once the power’s back on.”

“I don’t get why we need to take orders from him anyway. What’s some Doc Magnus wannabe from the past going to do that we couldn’t on our own?” Midea sighed. “Or at the very least, Epee or Durendal could have come along. This mission would have been cake with either one of them here.”

“I’m sure Ananke has her reasons. Besides, you heard him over the radio. He already took out one of our targets. Meanwhile, we’re killing demons that have nothing to do with the mission. I say we just do our job, and try not to question it too much.”

Midea relented and put his own dampeners back in his ears. The drill whirred to life once more as Cronocke set about wiring one of the glowing purple cubes to the power grid. The small devices were like alien pods littering the floor of the hotel’s basement. They would drill down deep into the planet’s core and use the thermal energy to power the building. There was the slight danger that this process could upset the stability of the planet, but the only chance of that was if the planet was already unstable.

 

***

 

Pale light, filtered through the forest’s canopy bathed the Triumph Mall in dark eerie glow. It was barely bright enough to see one’s reflection in a mirror, and at the moment, that is what Beatrice was doing. She swiveled side to side, watching the skirt of her black pinstripe corset dress swish with her every motion. It made the newly female Goth giggle with delight. Once Kacie had shown her how to get into the mall stores, she had gotten over her reluctance to help herself to the smörgåsbord of frilly and silky treats that awaited her behind the gates. She spent hours exploring the racks, finding outfits that fit her best and just enjoying her new shapely form. Sure, there was the occasional patron wandering in, wanting a fresh pair of underwear or maybe a new shirt or two, but they did not bother Beatrice. Instead, she helped them out and before long; she was free to help herself once more. Considering the circumstances, the storeowners cared more about their own well-being than one girl trying on all their clothing. Thus, Beatrice became the self-appointed Queen of the Mall.

She was not unappreciative of her newfound wealth either. She knew that she had a cantankerous tomboy to thank for all of this, and was determined to thank her in the only way she knew how. This will look perfect on her, Beatrice thought as she held a long pink prom dress up to her own chest, and watched herself in the mirror. Years of fantasizing about being in this exact situation had left the raven-haired lass with quite the skewed notion of how best to thank someone properly. In her mind, it was every little girl’s fantasy to dress up in something that was overly effeminate and formal. The only lament for Beatrice was the lack of a vintage dress shop. She swooned just imagining the dresses she could get Kacie to try on in one of those.

In her reverie, the woman barely noticed the sounds of shuffling feet approaching her. The sounds of work boots scuffing against the carpeting were like a distant hum to her, and it was not until the sound of wire hangers clinking against one another that she suspected she was not alone. The mirror showed that there was a hunched over shadow behind her, but the lack of light made it impossible to discern anything else.

“Um… hello? Can I help you?”

Gasping sounds, like those of someone who had lost their voice responded. Whatever the sounds were, they certainly were not any sort of language.

“If you want a dress or something, I can help you pick something out, but you need to speak up. Don’t worry, the store manager doesn’t mind us being in here. You don’t have to whisper.”

The response this time was a bit more unnerving. Instead of gasps for breath, there was a gurgling sound followed by primal groaning.

“Come on now, this isn’t funny. If that’s you Kacie, and you’re trying to scare me, I can guarantee that you are going to end up in the girliest thing I can imagine!”

The next sound she heard did not come from the entity in front of her. Instead, it was a series of clicks and then a hum. It was a sound that was instantly recognizable. The power was back on. Fluorescent lights came to life overhead, and that is when Beatrice screamed.

Standing across from her, with an arm outstretched in a manner that given the situation, could only be construed as threatening was a form so twisted and broken that it put Stan Winston’s creations to shame. The familiar form of a blonde-haired girl was marred by the blood that stained its face and chest. Its jaw hung loose and its neck was snapped to the side, with the hint of bone threatening to pierce the skin. The skin was dirty and pale, and once blue eyes had faded to grey. The remnants of a piece of rope rested around the waist. Even in the state it was in, Beatrice had a vague remembrance of the inventor that was at the Amazon camp with her. Without a doubt, this twisted thing was Haley.

 

***

 

The tense standoff between Kacie and her captor came to a sudden halt. The blonde girl sheathed her gun and looked at the bedside alarm clock with a grin. It was flashing 12:00 in bright red digits. The power was back on.

“You see that? That right there means that I’m one step closer to being rid of you. Believe me, I’m going to love it when I get the chance to put a bullet right between your eyes, not to mention killing that demon that you seem to be so fond of.”

Kacie started to laugh so heartily that the chair she was tied to nearly tipped over.

“Seriously, that was the reason why you kidnapped me? Do you honestly think that Anibelle is going to come swooping in to rescue me? Wow, you sure are a naïve bunch,” Kacie taunted. “Seriously, this Blake fellow must be a real douche bag to think that a girl is proper bait for a succubus. This master plan of yours is totally going to fail. Epic fail.”

“Well then, if our trap sucks, then I guess I can just shoot you now.” The blonde said with a grin, pulling out her gun and pointing it at Kacie’s head once more.

Kacie stared down the barrel of the pistol and felt cold, but it was not a fear for her life cold. In fact, only one part of her was cold: her scar. It felt like something was biting her flesh as the scar glowed bright blue. It was a pain she had never felt before, and every inch of her body wanted to end it. She squirmed violently in the chair, and though she could not see it, her captors seemed just as worried as she was.

“What’s going on? Why is your face glowing? Nobody told me about this!”

The brunette, who had remained mostly quiet and kept to herself throughout her friend’s banter with Kacie, now stood up, pointing at the writhing girl.

“Ice, there’s ice on her face.”

Kacie’s panicked motions stopped, and she looked up at her jailers, the skin around her scar was frozen solid and blue. She smirked just a little, remembering the first time that the scar lit up in a blaze.

“What are you smiling about?” The blonde asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

“Oh, something really bad is about to happen, that’s all.”