Spooning down another bite of oatmeal, Memonic glanced about the shelter. It was packed, and the food was better than ever, but still in some ways he regretted some of the changes. For the last five days, the news crews had been all over the place, and the bank had plastered ads on almost every wall. It made him question whether he had taken things a bit too far.
The worst part was that while the shelter was operating again, only so many of the needy could be taken care of. Lines outside were longer than ever, and it seemed that their numbers only kept growing. But then again, at least some of them were getting the help they needed. If he hadn't done what he did, none of them would have anything. He should have felt good about that, so why was he feeling guilty?
He knew the answer. Until every needy person in Hero City had a decent living, he would never feel like he'd done enough. It was his curse, and his passion.
The real truth was that the problems of Hero City were beyond his ability to fix alone. Sure, he could run around the city making people do what needed to be done, but it never seemed to fix anything. There was something else wrong with this city. Some underlying evil that needed to be rooted out. It was like a cancer, growing and eating away at everyone, even himself. Until it was gone, nothing good would ever last, especially for the homeless and poor.
He shook his head and glanced over at a newspaper one of the other homeless had tossed down on the table. He didn't have much use for papers, but the headline caught his eye. Black Mask Saves Couple From Mugging. Black Mask? That sounded like the woman he'd seen in the alleyway only a few nights ago. He picked up the paper and read. As more and more facts of the evening were presented in the article, the more he remembered the woman and what she had done. She sounded like somebody he needed to talk to.
He remembered the woman's name as Beth from the information in her purse. From another slip of paper, he had an address of a room for rent near South Penn University. If she was looking for a place to stay, she was probably from around there, and this address would be a good place to start.
The university was on the other side of town. After hitching a ride with another ganger, he located the street and the house he was looking for. It was a nice looking two and a half story stone that looked to be in good repair and well kept. Probably belonging to someone with money. If this Beth had gotten a room here, she likely had money herself. Maybe not a good sign.
He walked around the house, checking doors and peeking through windows without discovering anything new. Finally he rang the doorbell.
Beth, who was still getting ready for work after a very late night visiting with Veronica, was the one to open the door first as her sleepyhead roommate didn't have class until later in the afternoon that day. The blue-eyed, black-haired young woman was a rarity. In fact Memonic may not have ever seen someone so strikingly attractive ever, not even in dreams. It struck him how a simple mask could possibly conceal such natural beauty.
It took a moment before he realized that Beth had already said 'hello' and was waiting to hear who he was and what he was here for.
Memonic's first impulse was to force a memory upon this Beth to soften the meeting, but now he found himself confused. It had been dark in the alleyway that night, and he hadn't gotten a good look at the woman. She was indeed one of the most fantastic women he had ever seen. He shook his head. This was not what he had come for. "Are you Beth Bishop?"
She nodded. Beth seemed to take no special note of his scruffy appearance but simply saw him for what he was; a stranger asking a simple question. "That's me. Who are you?"
"A friend. I'm here about this." He held up the paper for her to see. "You certainly were impressive, and I was hoping you could help."
Beth didn't look at the paper. "Hm. I'm not so sure," she replied. She flashed him a shining smile and said, "I know the names of all my friends. We just might be friends, but I'm afraid you are holding me at a disadvantage."
Veronica snatched the paper and stared at it blankly. "Why so early?"
Memonic frowned, and glanced toward Veronica. "The sun is up, and I had breakfast almost an hour ago. I'm sorry if I'm intruding, but this is important."
He then returned his attention to Beth. "I assure you I am a friend, just one you don't know yet. I know what happened that night in the alleyway. I saw it myself, and I saw what you can do. I think together, we can solve some of this city's problems, and believe me, it has more than you can imagine."
"Whoa guy slow down, just cause you had breakfast doesn't mean the world has and there was nothing in an alley way so you can just stop with that." Veronica folded the paper and looked at Beth. "Hey Beth I have a pot on the stove will you go check it for me before it boils over pretty please?"
Beth looked a little confused but nodded and slowly walked off to the kitchen,
"What are you doing you can't just talk about those things." Veronica addressed the an at her door. He had obviously seen something but she needed a chance to let the Black Mask come out if she wanted to.
Memonic had to concentrate to understand the quick, smattered speech of this other young woman. She certainly seemed to have a lot to say, but nothing that made sense. The incident at the alleyway had definitely happened. So then, this woman was hiding something. He considered forcing a memory on her, but he loathed doing so unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps instead, it would be better to simply discuss this. "You and I both know it happened, so I assume that was for her benefit. So what is it you're hiding?"
Veronica smiled."Mio?" She batted her eyes. "Why would I hide anything from a stranger who just shows up on my doorstep after he has had breakfast in dirty soiled clothing speaking of dark alleys and things that happened which could be nothing but drunken induced ravings of a mad bum you better not have rabies do you?"
Beth's voice floated in from the kitchen. "Veronica? I don't see a pot over here. Are you sure you left a pot boiling?"
Memonic realized that Veronica was no doubt protecting her friend Beth from something. Probably much the same way that he protected the poor and homeless as best he could. Still, he needed to work with Beth if he was to have any hope in changing the tide of things to come in Hero City. Every day things got worse. He knew that the average citizen didn't see it, especially in a neighborhood like this, but he had to convince her, and to do that, he had to get past her friend Veronica. "I'm sorry," he said, then planted the subtle memory that Veronica had met him once before, and trusted him. Trusted him so much, that she had asked him here to speak to Beth.
Veronica blinked. "Why are you standing out there get in here I mean after all we are friends right Beth get out here i forgot that it was yesterday morning I was boiling water if he has something to say you should listen Oh man howembarrassingI forgot your name again."
Beth met the two as they walked into the dining room. "I swear sometimes Veronica, you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached," she laughed. The she noticed the stranger in the dining room, the same man she'd met at the door. "Oh, ah," she glanced from him to Veronica, but supposed V had let him in. She was the owner of the place after all and it was her prerogative. So Beth decided to play the hostess.
"Can I get you guys something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Milk?"
"Ah, thank you for the offer, but nothing , thank you," Memonic said. "And you can call me Memo. That's my street name, but it'll do." It would have to, because that's the only name he remembered. It wouldn't do for these two to think he was some kind of nut case. That was the last thing he needed. "Now, Ms.Bishop, I wanted to talk to you about Hero City. More to the point, what is wrong with Hero City, and maybe, what we could do about it."
Beth looked at him. "Do about it? I can barely afford rent. What is someone like me going to do about fixing a whole city? Anyway, why come to me about this at all? Why not some other random person?" She was completely bewildered why he would pick her of all people and seemed to honestly have no clue what he was on about.
"I wasn't asking for money, for even I am a man of poor means. No, what I was referring to was using your special skills. Those you presented in the alleyway the other night. That would be worth much more than money in this endeavor," Memonic replied.
"I'm sorry Memo. I really don't recall the incident you are alluding to," Beth said. "Which night are you referring to exactly?"
After Memo explained, she realized he was speaking of the previous evening. "No, I'm sorry," she apologized again. "I don't remember any alley like that. I remember I was going home that night and I bumped into Veronica. Then we walked the rest of the way together." She looked at Veronica, wondering if her friend, with her amazing powers, might actually be the one Memo was looking for. If so, that was Veronica's secret to keep or tell as she saw fit and not Beth's.
Memonic knew what he had seen in the alleyway, and he definitely knew whose purse he had searched. The identification inside had made that clear, and he had found this address from that information, leading him to only one conclusion. Both of these women seemed to be hiding secrets from him. For a very brief instant, he was tempted to use his powers again. It was within his ability to have the information he wanted. All it would take was the planting of another memory, as he had done with Veronica, but he stopped himself.
If he wanted to join together with people like this Black Mask, then he would have to work with them in cooperation, not lies and deceit. He sighed. It looked like it was not meant to be, but that didn't mean this was the end. If there were two people with powers like himself and Beth, then there were others. He would just have to find them.
"I'm sorry. I guess I was mistaken. I apologize for wasting your time," he said, then stood to leave.
"Hey now you just got here!" Veronica spoke up. "Beth you can trust this guy, he's totally trustworthy just look at him and his simple charm, besides I know him, you can trust him. Hear what he has to say, please."
Elizabeth looked at Memo for a long time, wondering how far she could go without something terrible happening to ruin her life. On the other hand, trusting a stranger who had just walked through her door and whom she'd never met was a lot like skydiving without a chute.
She'd done that once. She winced at the memory. Just for the thrill of it. Because she was pretty sure it wouldn't kill her. So what the hell, right? She'll take a chance and see what happens.
Beth knew she did have one incredible power -- the power to heal. That and excellent health and great physical shape. But she'd never considered they would ever lead to anything but a lifetime in some lab somewhere while people did tests on her and harvested her blood and organs for others while she suffered forever.
She didn't mind helping people. She really didn't. But she didn't think it right for her to have to suffer incredible agonies while doing so. She liked her life. She was trying to prove she could make her own way in the world without her parents interfering.
But there were the blackouts to consider. In fact, she could not remember anything that happened between leaving the subway terminal and bumping into Veronica. Beth shuddered to think she might have done something that could have drawn attention to herself. If that happened...
Beth swallowed hard and sat down heavily.
"Look," she said. "Memo, right? I was telling you the truth when I said I don't remember doing anything in any alley last night. I'm... I'm not really well. I've been having these blackouts over the past few years and... I think they've been getting worse. I thought I could handle it, you know? Because I can't go to the doctor for this. It's not something that's fixable. I'm really sorry if I scared you or did something... weird."
Beth was staring at the table. She could hardly even look at Veronica, either. She hadn't spoken of this to her one and only friend in this city and now she was worried what V would think. "I respect that you want to help people, Memo. But I can't even control myself much less be of much use to anybody. I only can do one thing, and I don't see how that's going to help anyone unless I spend the rest of my life strapped to a lab table."
Memonic considered the young woman before him. He had some doubts himself about her usefulness against the terrors of the city, but they were fleeting. All he had to do was to remember what he had seen in the alleyway to dismiss such doubts. The woman had an inner strength even she was obviously unaware of. Perhaps she just needed some reassurance. "I know what it's like to be lost, to be misunderstood, and even to be afraid. I've lived on the street for years, and with secrets of my own. You're not alone. To prove it to you, I'm going to show you something you may find hard to believe, but trust me, it is real."
"Now, both of you, watch carefully where I am sitting on the couch. Can you see the depression in the couch where I am sitting?" He waited for their looks to go to the couch, and their attention, then concealed himself.
Both of the girls gasped. He smiled. "I assure you I'm still here. If you don't believe me, you can touch me. I haven't gone anywhere," he said.
Veronica did something she had never dared do before. While it was amazing that this guy had just vanished, she was more concerned with her friend. Of course he was her friend and she trusted him totally and was sure he had possibly shown her this before. It only made sense as to why it was so important for Beth to speak with him. Obviously he might be able to helpalleviatesome of her fears.
Veronica reached out and took Beth's hand in hers, to reassure her that she was not alone, nor would she ever be left that way. "Cool."
Beth looked quite startled when Memonic disappeared but smiled when Veronica took her hand. "That's impressive," she told Memo. "Geez, and it has a whole lot of possibilities. You could do anything with an ability like that! Why, I be you and--"
She stopped herself before she spilled the beans. It was up to Veronica if she wanted to join forces with Memo.
"Absolutely just as soon as i talk it over but you know it could really work out great because having someone on the team, hey yeah we could be a team just like when Clark had that hunk Oliver working with him of course they had the other too and a group of super peeps would be really fin I think and of course we could do great things for Hero City it is like destiny but as I said I will have to discuss it but I don't foresee a problem because we are pals Memo." Veronica was speaking quickly again in her excited state, her grip tightened on Beth's hand.
Memonic frowned. What was Veronica talking about? Beth was the one with the powers, and yet Veronica was acting as if she were the one he needed for the team. He decided it might be best to act as if he understood. "Sure, but Veronica, you never really showed me everything you can do. If we're going to be a team, then I'd have to know everything."
Everything she could do, that was. As far as his own abilities, revealing that would have to wait until he was sure. He might have to make them forget him and this visit if this didn't work out, and there seemed little need to complicate matters with the entire truth right this minute. If anything did come of this meeting, then he would tell them everything.
Beth frowned. Something wasn't adding up. She looked at Memo and smiled but she knew Veronica had told her about her powers for the first time last night and she was certain Veronica hadn't told anyone else.
Beth reviewed the facts. Memo had arrived holding a newspaper and asking for her by name. Veronica then joined them at the door and she clearly didn't recognize Memo at that time. She certainly hadn't called him by name and was acting suspicious of him. Veronica had then asked Beth to check on boiling water -- that wasn't there. That was a strange thing for Veronica to do.
Then suddenly Veronica was chatting with Memo like they were old friends. This wasn't like Veronica. V was a friendly person but this was too much. Especially when it came to discussing things like this. Something was going on here.
"Stop Veronica," Beth said. "Memo, I just want you to be honest with me. What did you do or say to Veronica when I went to the kitchen and left the two of you alone?"
"I have been honest with you, and with Veronica. All I said was that I wanted to talk to you about using your powers to help the people of Hero City. That was my only intention. It's up to you whether you wish to believe that or not," Memo said.
"So you are telling me that Veronica told you before today something about what she can do?" Beth asked doubtfully. "Because if that's true, one of you is lying."
Beth sighed. She didn't want to believe someone was up to something, but she also didn't want Veronica to be taken advantage of -- or herself for that matter. In fact, she suspected that whatever the little white lie was, it was meant to just help improve the odds of this very conversation would actually happen.
"Okay, let's start again," said Beth. "We just met. You said you'd like to see change in this city for the better, and we all agree that's a great idea. Veronica is interested in working as a team, which you are also in agreement with. I think that's a good idea, too, though I'm very fuzzy on what exactly I could possibly do to help. But I'll try.
"This all seems to mean we are forming a team here and that means number one on our to-do list is trust. Nobody wants to end up like in "Reservoir Dogs", right? So I'm going to move past the issue of who met who and who told who what for now, but I'd just like everyone to take a moment some time in the near future to really consider what honesty, trust, and teamwork means.
"You both have my trust. Veronica, I really like you and I think I trusted you from the day we met. You are the most honest and carefree person I have ever known. I'd probably take a leap off a cliff or go skindiving with sharks if you invited me to do it with you. I've known you only six weeks and I already regard you that highly and with that much trust.
"Memo, I have questions but I do trust you. I have to. You know my secret and at any time you could end my way of life with a single phone call. I have to trust that you won't do that to me. I want to believe that. Frankly, you alone of the three of us is safe from any kind of trust issue -- because although we know you can become invisible, we don't know your full name, you have no address, and no other secrets that could be disturbed regardless of what might happen between you and the two of us. Trusting us with something as important to you, Memo, as my way of life is to me and Veronica's secret is to her, would go a long way toward making us all feel really good about this new team.
"I'm not asking you to take a leap of faith here and just spill your guts about your whole life or anything. I'm just asking that you please think about this and maybe at some point in the near future you might come clean about what all happened here today."
Beth smiled and it was a real one. "Okay, that's off my chest. Now let's get down to business. To fight crime in this city we'll need someone watching out for such things. I think we each can contribute to that goal. I'll keep my eyes and ears open to the news and maybe Veronica can help me pick up a police scanner. Memo, I have a hunch you have a pretty good finger on the pulse of the streets -- being capable of invisibility probably lets you overhear things that would never be in the news. Maybe? And Veronica, well nobody and nothing is faster. She can make things happen instantly. Thoughts? Ideas, guys?"
Veronica listened to Beth and tried to remember. When did I meet Memo? I swear I haven't told anyone but Beth. She shook the thoughts from her head.
"You are right Beth, I can't remember meeting Memo. But it has been a busy year for me so maybe it was, well whatever. We are here now and I trust him, and more to the point you Beth. You are my best friend, BFF all the way. I would jump out of a plane too, and how would they get sharks up there." She shook her head. "I am getting distracted from the point here. Memo, you came looking for a team, and that is what I have here. You don't remember my abilities, that can beremedied. If you are to join up with us then we will need to be open with each other, and if one of us goes down the others help them out. Fighting crime and helping others is not going to be easy. I am sure we might even be seen as vigilante's, but that is a risk I am willing to take. I have a partner already and you will get to meet her later memo. I am sure she will want to speak with you and meet her new teammate.
"Our true identities are of top importance, well my ability may make it difficult to keep my secret but I am gonna try. My alter ego is Velocity and I am fast, super fast. I can outrun anything along with some other things." She smiled.
"Beth, we can work on something for you, no worries you by my side is more help than anything. In fact you will be such agreat help to me you won't even realize it." She winked at her.
"Memo, you will be known as post it. " Veronica's laughter filled the room. "Ok, I couldn't help myself, post-it note, memo get it. Memo is just fine for a cover, and you no doubt have street connections. I think we can keep the city covered in sectors based on our daily whereaboutsplus my partner has some tools too."
Veronica stretched her arms. "What do you think Memo, Beth? If we are in agreement I can set up a meeting withtheother member of our team."
Memonic wasn't sure what she meant by other member, but at least they were finally coming to an agreement. Now it seemed, they understood each other, and the prospects looked better. The only thing left to do was to remove all doubts and inconsistencies from Veronica's memories, and to relieve Beth's confusion. Besides, if things went wrong from here, and this became a deal breaker, he certainly could make these two forget about him. The risk seemed minor, and at this point, a risk worth taking. "Good. Since we are in agreement, I think it's time to show another of my abilities that should help with some of your concerns. Veronica, you remember meeting me before today, don't you?"
"Yes," she answered.
"And Beth has doubts about that, as well she should, but also realize that I only did what I had to. I hope you can forgive me, and I promise never to use this on either of you again." He concentrated on Veronica and removed the false memory of the previous meeting, and waited to see her reaction.
The memory vanished and with it the concrete trust she had of him. Veronica blinked several times rapidly. "Did you just?" The thoughts formed in rapidsuccessionin her mind. "Are you saying that you planted that in my mind and just took it away, or did you steal my memory?"
She stood and passed very rapidly then came to a sudden stop and looked directly at Memo. "Either one is completely unacceptable. You never use your powers on your friends Memo, not for any reason other than to save their lives." She paused for a moment and looked to Beth.
"There was a reason I wished to discuss things alone with you at the door, and instead of hearing me out you mind boggled me." Her breathing increased and then suddenly calmed. Veronica had learned the hard way that when you speed things up when angry or excited you can pass out to easily if it is your breathing.
"This is not acceptablebehaviorif you are going to be working with us. I understand you felt you had no choice, but why when I was talking to you I have no idea. This hinders things a bit but if you swear to me that you will never use these kind of powers on us again, I am willing to overlook this time.
I think we can do a lot of good together and I really wish you would have given us the chance to find that out before resorting to the methods you chose. I am going to offer my trust to you Memo, by moving forward and forgiving you this once."
Veronica stepped forward and extended her hand to him.
Memonic smiled, then shook her hand. "You have my most sincere promise that I will not use my powers on you or anyone else in the group, unless asked to for their own benefit." Memonic felt bad about using his powers on her, but better that she was forgiving him. It was part of the curse and rewards for having such abilities. "Now, do either of you have any ideas what is going on in this city? It seems to me that the violence and crime has increased lately."
Beth considered. She'd taken to riding around the city on the bus and the subway/train between work and acting classes at the university, though she wasn't quite sure if she'd been there long enough to notice a change in crime. In fact, she didn't recall ever seeing a crime happening that she saw. That of course, reminded her of her increasing number of blackouts. Clearly, that was further off-topic than she wanted to wander.
"Well," Beth said, "I really haven't been in the city very long. I'm not sure what it used to be like but I guess that for such a new city but according to newspapers it does seem to have more than its fair share of crime. Should I start collecting news reports? I bet you guys could really put a dent in the crime rate if only you knew where they were happening."
Memonic frowned, but decided that arguing about the woman's recollections was pointless.She obviously had some kind of mental block of her experiences--something he knew not to play with lightly. "That would be a help. I also might be able to ask some of my friends what they have heard, or know of. It might also be helpful to find others with powers. There are at least three... ur, two of us that show special abilities. No doubt there are others. Perhaps you could search for hints about that kind of thing as well."
"Sounds good to me Beth." Veronica said with a smile. She shook Memo's hand and returned to her seat. "We have an agreement then Memo, we work together from here on out, and thank you for choosing to be honest with me, it would be a different story had you not.
"I too have not been here long enough to see an increase, but at least we have a starting point and a focus. To determine the cause of the increase if any, and to bring it to an end."
"But we'll try our best!" Beth put in with a smile. "So ah, how would you like to keep in contact, Memo?"
"I would suggest using cell phones, but the question is how secret do we need to be? This might go much deeper than we know. I don't mean to sound paranoid, but if the government is in on this, you and Veronica might well be in danger if we do this wrong. For myself, I have my ways around such difficulties, but it might be much harder for you to avoid them. I certainly could probably help you untangle yourself from such circumstances, but it might be best not to fall into them in the first place. If we do use cell phones, perhaps pre-paid ones would be the best compromise," Memonic said.
Beth's eyes widened a little. The government finding out about them was one of her biggest fears and protecting their identities was a priority to her.
"Pre-paid phones sound like a good idea to me," Beth agreed. "We could get them with cash. And I'm concerned about being discovered, too. I mean, Veronica and me are just starting to make our way in the world. It would suck rocks if the world found out who we were and wouldn't let us have a normal life. I hate to sound cheesy, but I think that if we really do fight crime, we might need to use some kind of disguise to protect our identities."
Memonic thought about Beth's Black Mask, and wondered if she were trying to hide her alter ego, or if she really didn't know about it. It seemed likely that she had some kind of psychosis, otherwise Veronica would have revealed Beth's secret to him when under the influence of his planted memory. No matter, she seemed stable enough for now, but he would have to talk about this with Veronica later in private. Perhaps there was some way to help if he knew more. "Yes, that would probably be a good precaution. I haven't found the need for such things in the past as the homeless are easily forgotten. Then again, we will likely end up being seen sooner or later, and much more often by the media. While it would be possible for me make people forget us for a while, there is no guarantee that the effect will be permanent, or that I will know of everyone who sees us."
"You know what we need is those neat-o watches that are communicators." Veroica smiled widely. "Oh and I'll be known as Velocity as this, or should I say my alter ego is Velocity. I am working on a costume currently and I was going to use my gym leotard but then it is really short and I like long but then I like short, too, oh maybe I will just have multiple ones anyway it's just so cool you know and it shouldn't be too big a deal for me to catch anyone no matter where you are at I'm pretty quick." She was excited and talking perhaps a little faster than normal.
"Thisisgonnabegreat!"
This page is copyright 2008 Dustin Evermore, Paul Comstock, Holland Erickson.