Finduilas

Hyperstrike's suggestion to take Recall Friend instead of Maneuvers is a good one, but there are a number of one-slot powers that would work. For instance, you could take Super Speed or Unstop--Unstop isn't needed as much for a soft-cap build but you might use it on occasion.

One good option for Rage is to slot it with two Rectified Reticle and 2 recharge commons. If you slot the RR +percep unique you get some +perception that Invul doesn't otherwise have, plus a 1.88% S/L def 2-slot bonus from the RRs. That would allow you to save some influence by dropping one of the Kin Combat sets for Smashing Haymaker, or if you prefer, gives you a bit of a cushion for S/L defense.

Here it is with those changes:

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.952
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Myte: Level 50 Natural Tanker
Primary Power Set: Invulnerability
Secondary Power Set: Super Strength
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Teleportation
Ancillary Pool: Pyre Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Temp Invulnerability -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(3), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(3), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(5), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(36)
Level 1: Jab -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(7), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Mako-Dam%(34)
Level 2: Dull Pain -- Dct'dW-Heal(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(9), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(11), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(11), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(13)
Level 4: Haymaker -- S'ngH'mkr-Acc/Dmg(A), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx(13), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/Rchg(15), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(50)
Level 8: Unyielding -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(17), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(17), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 10: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt/Rng(A), Mocking-Taunt(21), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(21), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(23), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(23), Mocking-Rchg(25)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(25)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Winter-ResSlow(A)
Level 16: Resist Physical Damage -- Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(A), Aegis-ResDam(34), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(34)
Level 18: Invincibility -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(A), LkGmblr-Def(29), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(31), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(31)
Level 20: Knockout Blow -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(31), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(33), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33)
Level 22: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 24: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(27), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(37), RctvArm-ResDam(39)
Level 26: Tough Hide -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(36), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(43)
Level 28: Rage -- Rec'dRet-ToHit(A), Rec'dRet-Pcptn(39), RechRdx-I(39), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 30: Weave -- EndRdx-I(A), LkGmblr-Def(37), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(43), DefBuff-I(40)
Level 32: Resist Energies -- Aegis-ResDam(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(43), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(45)
Level 35: Ring of Fire -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(46)
Level 38: Foot Stomp -- Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Erad-Dmg(40), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(42), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), FrcFbk-Rechg%(42)
Level 41: Fire Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Resist Elements -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(45), Aegis-ResDam(46)
Level 47: Fire Ball -- Posi-Dam%(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50), Posi-Acc/Dmg(48), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48)
Level 49: Recall Friend -- Range-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Heal(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(29)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(19), EndMod-I(27)

Yes, that's a very good choice--much more beneficial than the Psi resist IO that's slotted there currently. Four-slotting Reactive Armor in Brimstone would also be a good choice for additional S/L/E/NE defense.

But I very much disagree about Mud Pots; slotting Oblit there would be a bad idea since a full Oblit set is very low in end reduction, This is already going to be a high-end build outside of Granite.

To the OP:

IMO you're spending far too much effort on trying to cap Psi defense when Energy damage is much more common and a bigger threat. Once you've slotted the Steadfast +def you can drop the Scirocco's set in Mud Pots and slot Eradication instead and still stay at the soft-cap for Psi. If it were my build I'd drop the Scirocco's set in Tremor as well for another Erad set.

I understand that you have Kinetic Combat five-slotted for the run speed bonus, but using the KB proc in KD powers like the mallets means they are going to KB when the proc hits. You'd be much better off pulling those two slots and putting them in Swift--that will increase your run speed more than the two 5% bonuses.

I'd also drop the resistance commons from Earth's Embrace since they will only increase Toxic resists by less than 10%. I'd 5-slot EE with 5 Doctored Wounds instead, which will free up a slot, enhance it more fully, and give you a 5% recharge bonus besides.

Here's your build with the changes I mentioned and a few others I'd recommend. It's now soft-capped to S/L/Psi outside of Granite and is within a small purple of the soft-cap for E/NE. Honestly, though, I think you should consider trying to soft-cap E/NE and not worry about Psi defense other than what Minerals gives you.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.952
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Stone Panthress: Level 50 Magic Tanker
Primary Power Set: Stone Armor
Secondary Power Set: Stone Melee
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Rock Armor -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(5), LkGmblr-Rchg+(5), EndRdx-I(15)
Level 1: Stone Fist -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(21), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), KntkC'bat-Knock%(40), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 2: Earth's Embrace -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(3), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(3), Dct'dW-Heal(9), Dct'dW-Rchg(9)
Level 4: Stone Mallet -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(25), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25)
Level 6: Mud Pots -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(23)
Level 8: Rooted -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(36), EndRdx-I(43)
Level 10: Recall Friend -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 12: Teleport -- Range-I(A), Range-I(17)
Level 14: Brimstone Armor -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(15), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(17), RctvArm-ResDam(23)
Level 16: Long Range Teleport -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 18: Crystal Armor -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(19), LkGmblr-Rchg+(19), EndRdx-I(46)
Level 20: Stone Skin -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 22: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(27), RechRdx-I(27)
Level 24: Heavy Mallet -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(34), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(37), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 26: Fault -- HO:Endo(A), HO:Endo(42), HO:Endo(43)
Level 28: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(29), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(29), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(31), Mocking-Rchg(31), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(48)
Level 30: Minerals -- DefBuff-I(A), EndRdx-I(37), DefBuff-I(42), LkGmblr-Rchg+(42)
Level 32: Granite Armor -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(33), DefBuff-I(33), ResDam-I(33), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(34), Aegis-ResDam(34)
Level 35: Tremor -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(36), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(40), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), Sciroc-Dam%(46)
Level 38: Seismic Smash -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(39), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(39), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), KntkC'bat-Knock%(40), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 41: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(43)
Level 44: Hurl Boulder -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(50)
Level 47: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Physical Perfection -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A), Run-I(31), Run-I(37)
Level 2: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), P'Shift-EndMod(48), P'Shift-End%(48)

IMO, your mail goal should be to reach ED cut-off of 56% enhancement; the value of enhancing beyond that is severely reduced by ED.

You can reach 56% enhancement with four RA IOs as low as level 35, and the benefit of having 1.25% more defense to S/L/E/NE in most cases is much greater than that of a tiny amount of additional resistance you'd get from higher level IOs.

And keep in mind that slotting level 35s has the added benefit that you'll keep the defense bonuses when exemped down as low as level 32.

EDIT: Do people use them? Heck yes. Check any resistance-based melee build posted on the forums and you're very likely to see several RA sets if the player is building for defense.

Thanks so much! Believe me, I wish I had ever had a date that went anything close to that well. And yes, Walter is definitely not perfect--don't be surprised if you see him make another mistake or two before the story is finished.

Heh, I'm sure they'd shoot me first. Thanks again for commenting!

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Chapter 5

The next week was hectic for Elena. In addition to her usual workday, she spent time at the hospital with Mrs. Goodfield, and also assisting her friend’s son sort through her belongings. Some would travel to Atlanta with Rachel, the rest shipped or sold and Walter had been quite obliging in finding a reputable consignment shop for a few of the larger items. She was happy to help but she knew she would miss her friend very much, and it was with a heavy heart that she saw her off to the airport.

Elena was so busy that the days preceding her date with Walter passed quickly, and before she knew it she found herself in front of the mirror preparing for his arrival. She had made the time to buy a new dress for the occasion, ands she surveyed herself in it critically. It was midnight blue, an elegant choice, she thought, without being the more usual black. It clung to her curves just right, accentuating them but not giving too much emphasis to the stubborn last ten pounds that seemed totally impervious to any amount of diet or exercise.

“Not bad, if I say so myself,” she murmured aloud to the empty apartment. “What do you think, Cary:” she asked with a glance at Cary Grant’s handsome profile. “Would you be proud to be seen with me?”

He did not respond, but Horatio, who had been watching her from his favorite perch on the back of the couch, let out a plaintive ‘meow’. “Was that agreement or a complaint, pal?” she asked, scooping him into her arms for a hug and remembering too late that her dark dress would now be decorated with gray fur. She gave him an affectionate squeeze anyway. Horatio was settling in well, and she had to admit that it was a good feeling to come home to someone who was always glad to see her, even if it was because he knew his bowl would be filled soon.

The doorbell rang, and she hurriedly put the cat down and brushed the clinging fur from her dress before crossing the room to answer it.

-ooo-

Walter anxiously checked his tie and his hair for neatness one last time before pocketing his car keys and heading upstairs to Elena’s door. Not normally a nervous man, his experience with dating was rather limited, and in the back of his mind he worried that his inexperience might lead him to make some gaffe that would alienate his date. By and large his previous relationships with women had been while he was at university, and all had been fleeting and inconsequential. At the time he had been so focused on completing his degrees that a more lasting relationship seemed a low priority. Now that he had both the time and desire to find someone special he fervently hoped he had not missed the opportunity to do so.

That Elena was the other party involved on this occasion made the stakes all the higher; he found her fun and easy to talk to, but he did very much want her to think well of him. From their first encounter he had been drawn to her; her expressive green eyes lent her a guileless look that brought out all his protective instincts, but he had soon learned that behind them lay a sharp mind and a ready wit. Her kind heart and generous nature only added to her appeal for him.

He rang the bell and after some thumping and what sounded like muffled swearing Elena answered the door, a bit breathless and flushed. She was wearing a low-cut dark blue dress that was a sharp contrast to her normal work wear. She always looked well-dressed and attractive, but now she looked…stunning. Her long dark hair was pulled up in a loose style that emphasized her shapely neck and shoulders, and he had to remind himself not to stare. As a tall man, small women always made Walter feel oversized and clumsy, but Elena was precisely the size—and shape—that he found most desirable.

“You look lovely, Elena,” he murmured, a response that had the advantage of being both completely true and even in his limited experience he reasoned couldn’t possibly be the wrong thing to say.

Evidently it wasn’t. Elena reddened and said, “Thank you Walter, you look nice too. But then you always do.” She asked with a smile, “Do you even own a pair of jeans?”

Walter chuckled, “Well, Elena, my tailor deserves all the credit for my appearance, and since you ask, yes I do. Perhaps you’ll see them one day.” Her scent was doing something alarming to his brain; he so much wanted to touch her! Impulsively he reached down and gently caught her chin in his hand as he leaned close to kiss her cheek, asking softly, “Are you ready to go?”

Elena’s eyes widened and she caught her breath in surprise but didn’t look at all displeased. She nodded and collected her wrap and purse before they made their way downstairs to the car. Walter had considered his options carefully before deciding to drive. If he had been alone he would have taken the tram, but given the possibility that someone might come after him because of the statue he decided it wasn’t worth the risk of putting Elena in danger.

He had chosen a Mediterranean restaurant that he liked that was also near the theatre, and when they arrived he sensed that Elena was surprised at his choice. “We can go somewhere else if you prefer,” he said under his breath as they waited to be seated.

“No, no, this is fine,” she assured him. “It’s just that most men I know aren’t very adventurous when it comes to restaurants. It’s usually steak or Italian,” she chuckled. “Not that those are bad, of course, but I like trying something new.”

Emboldened by his success so far, Walter gave her a wry smile and remarked, “Is that my cue to say that you need to meet a better class of men, Elena?”

Elena raised an eyebrow, an amused glint in her eyes, “And here I thought I had, Walter.”

An hour later, Walter felt that the dinner had been an unqualified success; he had even been able to answer the inevitable questions about his family without too much difficulty. He had found that one advantage of being an orphan is the announcement of that fact generally forestalled further probing questions on the topic. Instead, Elena happily filled him in on her own family and the colorful cast of characters she encountered at work.

They finished their meal in plenty of time to reach the theatre before the curtain went up, and that’s where the troubles began. Walter had known nothing about the play other than the fact it was critically acclaimed and the tickets were hard to come by; to his chagrin it was not to his taste at all. It was one of those moody, modern tragedies that relied on—at least to his mind—a lot of brooding, morose people not speaking to each other, inevitably leading to entirely preventable tragic misunderstanding. He couldn’t tell for certain whether Elena was enjoying it any more than he was, though she did seem to be stirring restlessly as the end of the second act approached.

When the intermission came they filed into the lobby with the rest of the crowd, and Walter, feeling the need for a fortifying drink, acquired wine for the both of them at the bar. They found a corner of the lobby to themselves and after a sip of wine Elena remarked, “Well that was interesting.”

“Indeed,” Walter responded, searching his mind for a way to either find something intelligent to say about the play, or preferably, determine whether Elena was enjoying it herself. “So, Elena, I was just wondering” he began, hoping his motives weren’t too transparent, “whether this is the sort of thing you would choose for yourself if you were to go to a movie or play?”

She looked at him over the rim of her wine glass, her eyes widening in surprise, “As a matter of fact, no, Walter, it isn’t. Why do you ask?”

While Walter was attempting to think a polite circumlocution for his true opinion, he glanced back at Elena to see that she was trying not to laugh.

He sighed and said under his breath, “All right, Elena, how did you know?”

“It wasn’t that difficult to figure out, Walter, you were practically grinding your teeth during the second act,” she told him, her eyes merry.

He chuckled despite himself, “And I thought I was hiding it so well.” He met her eyes, “Do you wish to stay for the third act?”

“Well, we should,” Elena said virtuously.

“Don’t concern yourself with ‘should’, Elena, do you wish to see the rest? I think it highly unlikely that it will end happily.”

She sighed, “I know. And no, I really don’t want to stay. But what will we do instead?” Elena asked uncertainly.

“No doubt something will come to mind,” Walter told her.

Before he could suggest that they leave, Elena clutched his arm and said urgently, “Wait, Walter, I just remembered something!” She started to dig through her purse, and hissed, “Cover me, Walter!”

Guessing what she meant, he moved so his body blocked her from the sight of the other patrons. “Cover you?” he asked with a snort of amusement, “What are you planning to do, call in a black ops team for an emergency extraction?”

“Very funny,” Elena said sardonically, though the set of her lips told him that she did indeed think it was funny. “I need to check something on my email, but I’m sure everyone here would think it was rude that I’m doing that instead of saying erudite things about the play.”

She had her phone out and was rapidly scanning her email messages. She glanced up at him and said, “You could move in a little bit closer, they might think that you’re trying to get cozy. People always understand that motive,” she added dryly.

Walter was all too happy to oblige, sliding closer and resting an arm on the wall next to her. The heady scent of her hair and the warmth of her body were giving him definite ideas about how he’d like to spend the rest of the evening. He bent close to her ear and murmured, “Should I seem to be enjoying myself, Elena?”

She caught her breath and looked up at him, her eyes dark, “If…if you think you can make it realistic, Walter,” she said breathlessly.

“Oh, I think I can manage that,” he said confidently.

Before he was too tempted to show her exactly just how much he was enjoying it, she exclaimed, “Got it! I was right, it is tonight!”

“What is tonight?’ he asked.

“I’ll explain in a minute.” She looked up at him, her eyes bright, “Can we leave now?”

“Of course, Elena.” He disposed of their wineglasses and a moment later they were on the sidewalk in front of the theatre.

Elena turned to him immediately and said, “I have a very important question to ask you, Walter.”

More than a little puzzled, Walter responded warily, “Yes, Elena?”

“Do you like old movies? I mean really old movies?” she asked, sounding a little nervous. “Because some people I know wouldn’t even consider watching a black-and-white movie.”

He stared at her for a moment before responding—this was her ‘very important question’? “I…I’m afraid I have not given it a great deal of thought, Elena, though I have no a priori objection to doing so.”

“I wondered because I do like old movies, and there’s a Preston Sturges film festival going on tonight at the Paramount, and although we missed Miracle at Morgan’s Creek, we can still make it in time for The Lady Eve if we hurry,” she added, smiling at him entreatingly.

As always, he found her enthusiasm infectious. Besides, the look on her face would have prompted him to agree even without the additional incentive of a chance to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with her in a dark theater. “I would love to go, Elena, though I must confess I know nothing about those movies or Preston...”

“Preston Sturges, he’s the director and he made very funny, very clever screwball comedies in the 30s and 40s,” she explained eagerly, taking his hand and walking quickly down the street toward the garage where the car was parked. “I think you’ll like the movie since you hated that horrible play. Everyone does stupid things, but they do them in a funny way and everything turns out all right in the end.”

He increased his speed to keep pace with her, his hand tightening on hers. “I think I will like it very much, Elena. Especially the part about everything turning out all right in the end.”

-ooo-

True to their predictions, Walter did enjoy himself, laughing along with Elena and the rest of the audience. And when he slid an arm around her shoulders, it felt wonderful to lean against his solid warmth.

As she had expected from his previous behavior, he was not a grabby date, but neither did her make her feel like ‘one of the guys’. The way he flirted with her and looked at her, though never overly suggestive, made it very clear that he found her attractive.

They stopped for a nightcap after the movie, so it was quite late when they returned to the apartment building. Walter offered to drop her off at the front door, but she refused, which he accepted without demur. He did seem a little wary and on edge during the several block walk from the parking space to the front door, but they arrived without incident.

He escorted her up the stairs to her door and for a moment they were silent, both feeling a little uncertain and shy. Finally Elena stepped close and clasped his hands, saying, “Thank you so much, Walter, I had a wonderful time.”

“As did I, Elena,” he replied, his voice caressing her name and sending a shiver up her spine. “Might I hope that we could do it again sometime soon?” he continued, the look in his eyes making her heart beat faster.

“Oh, yes Walter, I’d love to.” Feeling a little reckless, she moved closer and laid a hand on his cheek, then trailed it down his neck until it rested on his chest. He responded immediately, his breath quickening as his hands encircled her waist and he pulled her against him. It felt very, very good, and she found herself breathing hard in anticipation of what was to come.

“I was going to answer yes anyway,” she added breathlessly, “but how could I possibly say ‘no’ when you say my name in that sexy way? And I don’t even know how you do it,” she went on, all too aware that she was babbling nervously, “after all you pronounce my name like everyone else does…”

Walter chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest against hers. Before she could finish, he bent to brush his lips against hers and all thought fled. He kissed her lightly at first, but when she responded enthusiastically he pulled her close and kissed her more deeply. Elena was unsure whether it was because Walter was a very accomplished kisser or it was merely the effect of kissing someone she genuinely liked and was extremely attracted to; regardless, even though she had spent a fair amount of the evening wondering what it would be like to kiss him, actually doing so was…amazing.

Walter pulled away and it took a few seconds for Elena to gather her wits. She met his eyes and smiled, “Wow. That was…wow.”

“Indeed,” he chuckled, looking almost as dazed as she felt. “And it bears repeating,” he murmured, needing no prompting to gather her in his arms again. If anything, it felt even better this time than the first; her whole body felt as if it were melting and his hands sliding down her back to wrap around her waist made her tremble with desire. As she curled her fingers into his hair to urge him closer she knew she should be sensible and stop before things went too far. But another part of her was feeling not at all sensible, and wanted nothing more than to invite him in to her apartment and let whatever happened, happen.

Before she had a chance to decide what to do Walter released her, sighing softly in her ear, his breath warm on her cheek. “I know I must leave you to your rest, but by God it’s difficult!” he said, shaking his head regretfully. She realized this was the opportunity to ask him to stay if she wished, but he continued speaking and the moment passed. He cupped her chin in his hand and said decisively, “We will do this again soon, Elena.”

Happiness welled up inside Elena, making her giddy. Her arms still around his neck, she giggled, “A date, or this?” kissing him lightly on the lips.

Walter laughed and briefly embraced her again, “Both, definitely both.” He caught her eyes, holding her gaze intently, “I doubt I will be able to call tomorrow, I expect to be busy all day. But next week you will hear from me, hmm?”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Elena told him, still feeling quite reluctant to leave.

“And I would not find it amiss if you were to call me on occasion for something other than an emergency,” he told her with a smile.

“You do know, Walter, don’t you, that no one says ‘amiss’ anymore.” Elena leaned close and whispered, “But I love it when you do.” She sighed and gently touched his face, “Goodnight Walter.” Elena turned toward her door but before she could open it he caught her in his arms for one more breathless kiss.

“Goodnight Elena my dear,” he said softly as he released her. She hurried through the door before her lingering urge to invite him in got the best of her.

Horatio was waiting by the door and she gleefully caught him in her arms. Once she heard Walter striding down the stairs to his own apartment she spun around with the surprised cat, crying, “Best date ever!” before collapsing contentedly on the couch.

That's true for positional defense. Typed defense bonuses are usually available with 3 or 4 slots.

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Chapter 4

Elena woke with a start, disoriented as to time and place, unfamiliar fabric under her cheek. She sat up and realized she had been sleeping against Walter’s shoulder with his suit jacket draped over her like a blanket. He turned and at smiled at her; he had been reading a magazine with his glasses halfway down his nose, his long legs stretched well out into the empty waiting room. He looked…incredibly cute, and she prayed she hadn’t drooled on his shirt or done something else unattractive while she was asleep.

She stifled a yawn to cover her discomfiture, “Oh, what time is it?” she asked him. “Has there been any news?”

“It’s 11:30, Elena. The nurse came by about forty-five minutes ago to say that they were almost finished with the surgery and that they’d let us know when she was out of anesthesia. I thought you might as well sleep until then.”

“Thanks. I suppose I couldn’t have done anything but worry anyway if I’d been awake.” Elena yawned again, “I’m so tired; I’ve usually been in bed for hours at this time of night.”

“Hah!” he gloated, his eyes alight, “now you see the advantage of being a night owl.”

“Hah yourself!” Elena retorted, spurred to rashness, “Just see how you’d like it if I came in and woke you up at five am when I usually…” Realizing too late that she had just invited herself into his bedroom, her voice trailed off and she felt her face heat. She looked up to find his blue eyes fixed on her with thinly veiled amusement.

“You are welcome at any time of course, Elena,” Walter said blandly, “should I leave the door unlocked in case the urge strikes you?”

“That…won’t be necessary,” she said in a small voice. He went back to reading his magazine without comment, smirking slightly. It was so infuriating—he had lured her into embarrassing herself, the rat!

While she was contemplating this perfidy, Walter cleared his throat and murmured, “In the meantime, my shoulder is still available if you’re interested.”

She shook her head and chuckled, “If you are going to be so charming, I can see that it will be absolutely impossible to stay angry with you.”

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a lopsided smile, “Which is of course the point, my dear.” Then he looked at her intently and said, “Elena…”

At that moment the nurse bustled up to tell them that Rachel was in recovery and could have visitors, so whatever Walter had planned to say went unsaid.

“Just one at a time,” the nurse cautioned, “and a short visit. She’s on pain medication and won’t be able to stay awake for long.”

“Go on, Elena,” Walter urged her with a smile, “I’ll wait here for you.”

Elena quietly let herself into the room; her friend’s eyes were closed and she was afraid she was asleep. “Mrs. Goodfield? Rachel?” she called softly.

The woman in the bed stirred, “Elena, is that you, dear?”

“Yes, it’s me; do you feel up to a visit?” Elena asked her.

“Of course I do, Elena, when have I not wanted to have a chat with you?” she asked, sounding more like her old self.

“That would be never,” Elena laughed, sitting in the chair next the bed and taking Mrs. Goodfield’s hand. “How are you? Not in too much pain, I hope.”

“It’s not too bad; they have me on all sorts of painkillers. I have a hip full of metal now, they tell me.”

“You’ll be up on your feet in no time, Rachel,” Elena told her cheerfully. “Was the doctor able to reach Lawrence?”

“Yes, he’s flying in tomorrow, and I’m not looking forward to it, as much as I love him. He won’t be able to resist saying ‘I told you so’,” she sighed, “he’s always had dire predictions of what would happen to me living here alone. But enough of that,” she said pointedly, “you know what I want to hear about.”

Elena suspected she did know, but feigned ignorance. “What’s that, Rachel?” she asked as casually as possible.

“Don’t play innocent with me, Elena, how long have we known each other? The nurse told me that you were waiting with a tall dark-haired man with a beard. Who could that be, hmm?”

“Oh, all right, it’s Walter Halstrom, are you satisfied?” She snorted in exasperation, “I swear the need to say ‘I told you so’ must run in your family. My car isn’t working, and I didn’t want to walk here by myself, so I asked him to come with me. That’s all that happened!” Elena added defensively.

Mrs. Goodfield smiled knowingly, “But is that all you want to have happen, I wonder?”

Elena gave her a wry smile in return, ‘I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I’ll never hear the end of it if I do.”

“I thought as much,” she answered smugly. She met Elena’s eyes, her face serious. “I know you haven’t always liked me meddling in your love life, but take it from an old lady who’s seen a lot of men come and go.” She patted Elena’s hand, “That one is special, so hang on to him. Why, if I were thirty years younger I’d give you a run for your money!”

“I bet you would!” Elena laughed. “But you know there’s only so much control I have over whether he stays or goes—he hasn’t even asked me out yet!”

“Give him time, Elena. I don’t think Walter is the kind of man who does things lightly, and that’s a good sign.”

“I suppose,” Elena sighed. “He’s so sweet and charming, and very attractive, I just wish I knew…” She smiled and shrugged, “I can be patient,” she added under her breath, “I think.” She turned her attention back to her friend, “Is there anything you’d like me to bring you from your apartment when I go to feed Horatio?”

“Oh yes, Elena, that would be very kind,” Rachel replied, and their discussion of what Elena should bring lasted until the nurse came in to say that she had stayed long enough. So Elena kissed her friend and promised to visit her the next day.

She made her way back to the waiting room and found that Walter had given up reading and was now pacing restlessly. His face lightened when she entered, “Elena, how is she?”

“In good spirits,” Elena smiled. “Are you planning to go in to see her?”

“I’m getting the distinct feeling that they want us to leave and allow her to rest. I’ll stop by tomorrow to visit instead.” He glanced at Elena, his eyes narrowing, “Besides, I think it is time to get you home. I’ll bring the car around.”

“That’s not necessary Walter. I’ll walk with you to the car; I’d like some fresh air anyway.”

“As you wish,” he replied as they walked out together.

She sank gratefully into the car seat, “Oh Walter, I am not looking forward to getting up for work in the morning!”

He stared at her in surprise, “Surely you’re not planning to work your usual hours tomorrow!”

“Well, I should…” she began.

“Hmph,” he snorted derisively, “speaking as a citizen of Paragon City, I think it is perfectly reasonable for a city employee to take a part day off—or even a full day—after staying up to take care of a friend who’s been seriously injured.”

“I have sick time, but I feel funny about using it for something like this,” she told him, making a face.

“Don’t,” he said firmly. “Even underpaid do-gooders deserve some time off now and then. Promise me that you’ll call in—and sleep in—tomorrow.”

“Well, if you’re going to be pushy about it,” she said with a wry smile, “I suppose I can do that.”

“Good.” After a moment he cleared his throat, seeming a little nervous, “Elena, there’s something else I wanted to ask you. A client of mine had two tickets to a play that it happens he cannot use and he gave them to me. It’s a week from Saturday, and I wondered whether you might like to accompany me.”

Elena later claimed that surprise and fatigue caused her to respond as she did; she stared at him in shock for a moment, and then squeaked, “You’re asking me out? On a date?”

She realized immediately that it was the wrong thing to say and blushed scarlet, wishing she could disappear into the seat cushions.

Walter’s face fell and he replied, “Well, that is what I had in mind, Elena, but if you’re categorically opposed to the idea…”

Hoping she could salvage the situation, she hastened to assure him, “No, Walter, no, I’m not opposed to the idea at all! Really not opposed.”

Sensing his bewilderment, she sighed and said, “Could I please start over?”

His good humor returned, “Of course, Elena.”

She took a deep breath, laid a hand on his arm and smiled at him, “Walter, I would love to go to the play with you.”

He smiled warmly at her in return, “Then I am looking forward to it.” They pulled up in front of their apartment building and stopped.

She glared at him in mock exasperation, “Walter, I know it’s your personal mission to prove that chivalry is not dead, but this door-to-door service is really unnecessary. I can walk from a parking place to the building.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said dryly. “However, this time I’m dropping you off because I have something to do.”

“At this hour?” she asked in surprise. “What do you need to do at one a.m.?”

“Just something that can’t be delayed.” He smiled and said, “I’m the night owl, remember? This isn’t so late for me.”

“If you say so,” she replied skeptically. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, saying, “Thank you for coming with me tonight, Walter. It really did help, and not just the ride.”

He squeezed her hand and smiled, “It was my pleasure. I will be in touch about the play. Goodnight Elena.”

Elena climbed the stairs to her apartment in a much better frame of mind than when she had left a few hours before. Mrs. Goodfield had a long recovery in front of her, but they had every reason to believe she would recover. As for Walter, well, she hadn’t been this excited about a date—or a man—in a very long time, and she thought of little else as she emailed her supervisor and resolutely turned off her alarm clock as he had insisted.




Elena woke up the next morning at nine o’clock, feeling completely decadent for having slept in so late. She was rested, but she dimly recalled having been awoken several times during the night by noises outside the apartment—police sirens and the like. When she walked to the tram on the way to work she noticed with astonishment that the trolls on the entire north side of Skyway were just—gone. Not just fewer than there were, but from the vantage point of the tram platform there were none as far as the eye could see. Very strange. I suppose it’s too much to ask that it stay this way!

Work was uneventful; no one seemed unduly shocked or astonished that she had taken a few hours off. Encouraged by this, she left work at the usual time and after a brief stop at Mrs. Goodfield’s apartment, made her way to the hospital to see her friend.

She found Rachel sitting up in bed and glad to have company. “Oh Elena, it is so good to see you,” she said happily. “And you brought my things—thank you so much! How is my sweet Horatio?”

“Hungry. And happy to see me, which I doubt is a coincidence,” Elena chuckled. “However, since it sounds like you’ll be in the hospital for a while yet, I was wondering whether I should just move him down to my apartment for now. At least then he wouldn’t be alone in the evening as well as during the day.”

A pained look crossed Rachel’s face briefly and was gone; she said brightly, “That would be wonderful, dear; you two can keep each other company.” She glanced up at Elena and smiled knowingly, “Though I hear you may not be spending all your evenings at home for much longer.”

“How on earth did you find that out, Rachel? Walter only asked me out last night!” she exclaimed.

“Walter came to visit me earlier, and brought some beautiful flowers,” her friend told her, indicating a lavish bouquet on the bedside table.

“He told you that he asked me out? I…I’m a little surprised, Rachel, that doesn’t sound like something he would do.”

“Oh no, I had to worm it out of him. I asked about you and he didn’t say very much, but it was the way he didn’t say it…you know how it is,” she said, waving her hand airily. “I had to press him a tiny bit, but he finally admitted that he asked you to that play.”

“A tiny bit?” Elena laughed, “I know you; your persistence could put police interrogators and investigative journalists to shame. The poor man never had a chance.”

She gave her friend a questioning look, “Setting aside my love life for now, what is happening with you? You seem to be recovering well, but the doctor made it sound like it’ll be a while before you’re on your feet again. How much longer will you be here?”

“I’ll only be here a few more days, if everything goes as they hope. But after this I’ll need to be in a rehabilitation hospital for some time to learn to walk with my new hip.” Rachel explained.

“Oh! I should have thought of that. Where will you be going? I think the hospital in Talos has a rehab wing—or maybe that’s Peregrine.”

Mrs. Goodfield was silent for a moment, looking down at her hands and seemingly unwilling to meet Elena’s glance. When she glanced up, there were tears starting in her eyes, “Elena, Lawrence came in this morning, and he and the doctors think I should go to a hospital in Atlanta so I’ll be near family. Lawrence wants me to go live with him afterward, and give up my apartment here.”

“Oh no!” Elena cried in dismay, “I thought you hated Atlanta!”

“I do!” she sniffed, “I’ve lived in New England all my life and never wanted to live anywhere else. We have real seasons here, not like the hot or not-hot weather down there,” she said scathingly. “And I hate air conditioning!”

“Are you sure you have to go?” Elena asked imploringly. “I’d be happy to help in any way I could and I’m sure Walter would as well.”

“Bless you for offering, Elena, but I can’t ask that of you, you have your own life to live.” She patted her friend’s hand, “It’s not all bad, at least I’ll get to see the grandchildren much more often than I could living here. But I was hoping you might be able to take Horatio.” She snorted, “Lawrence has two big ugly dogs and I think my sweet boy would be happier here with you than there being terrorized by those beasts.”

“Of course I will, Rachel, you know I love him. But we’re going to miss you so much,” Elena said, her voice breaking. “Who’s going to pester me about my love life if you’re not here?”

“I’m quite capable of pestering you by phone or mail, Elena,” Rachel said tartly. “I may even try that Facebook thing that everyone talks about. Besides, once I get back on my feet I can come for a visit. You know I won’t miss dancing at your wedding!”

Elena rolled her eyes, “Rachel!”




Walter thumbed his phone on, “Halstrom.”

A familiar cheerful voice greeted him, “Hey, Walter, how ya doing? It’s Percy Winkley. Listen, I finally found something out about that statue of yours. Let me tell you, it took some digging!”

“I appreciate your diligence, Percy,” Walter assured him, “what did you find out?”

“No problem, I like a challenge. Well, Azuria was correct about the writing on the base, it is Sumerian, but a very obscure dialect that it took me a while to track down. It seems that the statue is a depiction of Ereshkigal, their goddess of the dead.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of that one,” Walter remarked, “not a kind and gentle goddess as I recall.”

Percy snorted, “You could say that. Identifying the figure didn’t take too long; it’s consistent with most depictions of Ereshkigal…the bat wings and so forth. The rest of the inscription was more difficult, but here’s what it says as close as anyone can tell: ‘Break the bonds of the grave and let the dead come forth, bound to my command. Let the dead harry the living to the ends of the earth’.” Percy chuckled, “It’s probably even more dramatic in the original Sumerian.”

Walter let out a low whistle, “It’ll do as it is. There’s little doubt what that means, and why someone might want it—at least if they don’t mind using murder and chaos to achieve their ends.”

“Yeah, presuming it works as we suppose, if someone had the statue and could recreate the ritual that activates it, that would…not be good. It’s lucky you have it and not one of the bad guys.”

“Yes, and I can’t tell you how much it thrills me to have it in my possession,” Walter said sardonically.

“Consider it ‘taking one for the team’,” Percy chuckled. “Funny thing, though, you said that the Tsoo and the Circle of Thorns are your prime suspects as the original owners and killers of your friend. Both groups already call spirits back from the dead, so why would they need the statue?”

“Maybe they think it would be faster and easier, maybe the spirits called this way would be more powerful…” He sighed, “I don’t know, I’ll give it some thought. Thanks again, Percy, you’ve been a big help.”

“Glad to help. Let me know if you run into anything else weird and scary,” Percy told him.

“Will do, Percy, take care,” Walter said as he hung up. A short while later, he was making a call of his own to Lieutenant Robbins.

Robbins grew more and more morose as Walter filled him in on what Percy had told him. “Well, that would be just great, an invasion of evil spirits on top of the Ritki and Praetorians and whatever the hell else we get around here. Does this get us any closer to who might have killed Burke?”

“It might,” Walter said cautiously. “Both the Circle and the Tsoo can already command spirits, though in relatively small numbers, and I’m not sure their leaders would want to cause as much havoc as this would produce. It’s possible that we have a small-time operator in one of these groups that’s trying to make a name for himself. Whoever originally acquired this might not know—or care—how potentially dangerous this is as long as it impresses his higher ups. That’s pure speculation on my part, of course.”

“Well, it’s something,” Robbins admitted. “It won’t hurt to do some checking for ambitious underlings.”

“I’d look at the Tsoo first,” Walter advised him. “I’ve heard recently that some have been seen in Skyway City.”

“Skyway? That’s not their usual turf—what’s in Skyway that would interest them?”

“I am,” Walter told him grimly, “that’s where I live.”

.

Thanks very much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

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Chapter 3

“Huh,” Robbins responded, not sure what to make of this revelation. “What did you buy from Burke?”

Halstrom stood and picked up some photos that had been scattered on a long worktable near the desk. “This; I was doing some research on it before you came,” he answered as he handed the photos to Robbins. They showed a small statue of a winged woman holding a crystal in her hands above her head; some of them were close ups of the details of the base and other features.

All of which meant precisely nothing to the detective. “Okay,” he replied, “now tell me what it is, where he got it, and why it’s worth killing him for.”

The other man sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes, “I’ll tell you what I can, Lieutenant. First, I don’t know what it is, that is what I have been trying to determine. Terry didn’t say where or how he obtained it, but it was clear from the hints he dropped that it was not from someone who would want to admit that he had it or that it had been stolen from him. Normally, I’d stay away from something of that sort, but in this case…”

He paused for so long that Robbins raised an eyebrow and prompted, “Yes?”

“This item,” Halstrom replied, “gives off a surprising amount of magical energy, and energy of type that is not associated with a…wholesome purpose.”

The second eyebrow joined the first, and Robbins coughed to cover a chuckle; Halstrom looked deadly serious for all the absurdity of his claim. “So you’re saying that this statue has bad mojo?” He peered at the photos again, “Looks pretty ordinary to me.”

“You couldn’t see it in a normal photograph in any case, but it is quite visible to me when I look at the object itself.” Halstrom shook his head, “I know it is hard to believe, but this is what I do for a living. When you look at a crime scene you would see things that others would not, and I can read the energy signature of this piece. I don’t know what its purpose is, but this item is powerful and it’s dangerous. There are many others in the city who could confirm that if you would rather not trust my word.”

Against his better judgment Robbins was beginning to be swayed by Halstrom’s earnestness. Besides, he’d lived in Paragon long enough to know better than to lightly dismiss such claims. “Let’s say I believe you. If it’s so bad, why did you buy it? Is it valuable?”

Halstrom glanced down pensively for a moment before meeting the detective’s eyes, “I bought it because I thought it would be better for me to have it than Terry, or whomever might buy it or take it from him. That’s probably the only comforting aspect of this; if I hadn’t bought it I suspect Terry would still be dead, and the statue would now be in the hands of his killers. And although its intrinsic value is not insignificant, it is literally irreplaceable for anyone who wishes to use it for its original purpose, whatever that might be.”

“What are you planning to do with it?” Robbins asked. He met his eyes and added, “You know, I could impound it as evidence in Burke’s murder.”

Halstrom nodded, “I am well aware of that, Lieutenant, and if you think that is the wisest choice, I will give it to you willingly. However, bear in mind that it is currently in my safe and that both the safe and the shop itself are heavily warded against magical attacks. I doubt you can say the same about your property room, secure though it might be against more mundane threats.

“As for what I plan to do, I have an appointment to meet with Azuria at M.A.G.I. tomorrow. I was going to take the statue with me to show it to her, but now I’m reluctant to move it from the shop unless there is a compelling need. Photos won’t be as helpful to her as seeing the actual item, but perhaps she can tell me something.”

Robbins thought it over; having a dangerous magical doohickey sitting in the property room that people were willing to kill for was not an appealing prospect. After a moment he asked, “Have you turned in the paperwork on it yet?”

“No, I have a week from the purchase date as you know,” Halstrom answered, looking a little uncomfortable. “But I am concerned that doing so will confirm to anyone interested that I do indeed have the piece.”

“Hmm, yeah, I see what you mean,” Robbins said thoughtfully. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do: you fill out the report as usual, and give it to me. I think I can justify keeping the report out of the system for a while since it is evidence in a murder investigation. But you’ll have to cough up that statue if a case ever comes to trial or if we need it for some other reason. Understood?”

“Understood,” Halstrom nodded. “By the way, Lieutenant, how did Terry die? If you are permitted to tell me, of course.”

Robbins pursed his lips and considered the situation for a moment, usually some details of a homicide were not revealed to the public, but Halstrom was probably as close to an expert witness as Robbins was likely to get, and he had been extremely cooperative so far. “He was cut with a long-bladed weapon of some sort and bled out. Not pretty,” he added, shaking his head.

“Really?” Halstrom’s eyebrows rose, “Curved blade or straight?”

The detective smiled to himself, guessing where this was going, “Curved.”

“Ah.” Halstrom met his eyes, “Well, as you know, southwest Steel Canyon suggests either Circle of Thorns or Tsoo—they are the magic users that claim the area as their territory. A curved blade points to the Tsoo since many of the upper-echelon leaders use katanas. Unless of course, he was killed elsewhere and placed in the area later.”

“Yeah, the Tsoo are on the short list. Especially since we know he was killed in that spot,” Robbins added, “all the blood was there.” He picked up a photo of the statue, “Does this tell you anything?”

“Hmm, well the Circle are more likely to use magical objects than the Tsoo, since the Tsoo primarily draw power from their tattoos. But in my experience these groups are remarkably hidebound about the weapons they use; it seems more likely that one of the Tsoo acquired this,” he said, tapping a photo of the statue, “than one of the Circle suddenly decided to adopt the katana.”

“Makes sense,” Robbins replied, “thanks, Halstrom.”

“One more question for you, Lieutenant,” Halstrom asked, “Did Terry have any money on him when you found him? I gave him two thousand for the statue.”

Robbins choked, “Two grand? For that?” He shook his head, “No, sorry, Halstrom, it wasn’t on him. But I’m afraid you probably wouldn’t have gotten your money back anyway.”

Halstrom waved dismissively, “I didn’t expect to. I just wonder whether his killers or someone else could have taken it.”

“His body wasn’t moved after he was killed so it was either the perps or he stashed it somewhere before they caught him. Think it means something?”

He shrugged, “Possibly. It’s worth noting if they did take it, some of these groups like to think of themselves as being above mundane concerns like money.”

“We’ll see what we can find out,” Robbins replied, scribbling a reminder in his notebook. He looked up to meet Halstrom’s eyes, “You know that Burke probably gave up your name before he died.”

The other man snorted, “I’m absolutely certain he did, who could blame him? And before you ask, yes, I know they may very well come after me.”

“You don’t seem too worried about it,” Robbins commented, closing his notebook and preparing to depart.

“I’m not at all pleased about it, but I have some advantages that Terry did not. I know to expect it and can be prepared, and I believe I am better able to defend myself than Terry could.”

“Don’t get too cocky, Halstrom,” Robbins said acerbically, “you may be big, but I don’t think you’re sword proof.”

“Noted, Lieutenant, I’ll be careful,” Halstrom remarked dryly. “One thing that might help if there is anyone watching the shop—which seems likely—is that we not give the impression that I’ve been overly cooperative with your investigation.”

Robbins nodded, “Okay with me, I can be as hostile as the next guy.”

Halstrom walked the detective to the door and let him out. Robbins turned to him in the doorway and said in his best bad-cop voice, “This isn’t over, Halstrom; you’d better wise up and start cooperating or you’ll find your butt in jail!” He prodded Halstrom’s chest for emphasis, which was not unlike poking the side of a building.

“Yes, yes, Lieutenant,” Halstrom replied, managing to sound bored and dismissive at the same time, “very impressive.” His eyes narrowed and he glared down at the detective, “Don’t bother me again. If you wish any more information from me, contact my lawyer.” He closed the shop door in Robbins' face with a bang.

Robbins chuckled to himself as he walked away. All in all, not a bad day; he had a lot more information than he had when he arrived, and a number of new leads to follow. He’d just have to avoid running into Menendez, he’d hate to admit that he thought she was right about Halstrom.




Walter exited the tram at Atlas Park and walked the short distance to his destination. As he started up the front steps of City Hall he noted with amusement that fledgling heroes still congregated under the enormous status of Atlas in front of the building, just as they had when he first came to Paragon City five years before.

He made his way to the M.A.G.I. offices on the lower level of City Hall, asked for Azuria, the director of the Atlas Park M.A.G.I. branch, and was shown into her office. Azuria, a young woman with brown eyes and long brown hair, looked ordinary enough. Walter understood that she was one of the most powerful of the magically gifted citizens of Paragon City, and therefore suspected that she was actually much older than she appeared.

“Thank you, madame,” he said, offering her his hand, “for agreeing to meet with you today. I would not have bothered you if it were not urgent.”

She invited him to sit, and smiled, “I am glad to finally meet you, Mr. Halstrom, I’ve heard good things about your work. What is it I can help you with?”

He took a deep breath and pulled a packet of photos from his pocket, passing them to her across the desk, “I need your expertise in identifying this object. I bought it from a small-time dealer and sometime petty thief named Terry Burke earlier in the week. I know it would be more useful for you to see the actual statue, but I was told yesterday that Terry was found murdered the evening after he sold it to me. It seems highly unlikely that those two events are coincidental, so I’m reluctant to carry it around on my person unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

She frowned at the photos, “Understandable. I take it this object is powerful?”

“Extremely so. To say I was surprised when Terry showed it to me would be an understatement. And evil,” he said with a wry smile, “if you don’t mind if I use such old-fashioned language for an object.”

“Sometimes nothing else is appropriate,” she murmured, “I’ve certainly seen enough objects that could be best described that way.” She picked up one photo and examined it closely, “The writing on the base looks similar to Sumerian, but I can’t read it, I’m sorry to say. It’s clearly a ritual object; the base is an unusual shape, I wouldn’t be surprised if the base fit somewhere specific, and that the crystal was used to focus energy in some way.”

Halstrom nodded, “Yes, I thought that was a possibility.”

She dropped the photo, “Where are you keeping it now? Is it secure?”

He sighed, “It’s in the safe in my shop. Both the safe and the shop are well warded, but someone tested the wards last night, and I’d be surprised if it doesn’t happen again.” He met her eyes, “That’s one reason I wanted to speak to you, to ask whether it might be better to store it here. However, I do have someplace I could move it where I believe it would be more secure, so that’s also an option.”

Azuria shook her head ruefully, “One disadvantage of being a high-profile agency for magic users is that this is the first place that magic users of evil intent would look for such an object. If you have someplace to put it that is secret as well as safe, I think that would be the better choice.”

She found a notepad on her desk and quickly wrote on it, “I also think you should speak to someone from the Midnight Squad to see if they have any information on the statue. Percy Winkley would be the best bet, he’s trustworthy and he loves mysteries of this sort,” she added dryly.

“Thank you, I’ll do that,” Halstrom replied, taking the note from her, “and thank you for your time.”

“I am glad to help; I’m just sorry I couldn’t do more.” She got up to escort him to the door, eyeing him curiously, “By the way, you seem familiar to me, are you sure we haven’t met before?”

Walter smiled slightly, “Perhaps at another time, in another context, ma’am. Thank you again.”

Over the next few days Halstrom contacted Percy Winkley and invited him to the shop to examine the statue. Winkley was not able to give him any information immediately, but as Azuria predicted he was enthusiastic about solving the mystery of the statue’s origin and purpose. Walter also updated Lieutenant Robbins on the progress made—or lack thereof—toward identifying the object. After that, unfortunately all that could be done was exercise caution and wait for more information.




Elena opened the door to her apartment and just made it to the couch before collapsing in weariness. It had been a long, long day, with a last-minute crisis that kept her in the office well past seven pm—a single mother with three kids had been evicted from her home and desperately needed a place to stay for the night. Ultimately Elena had been successful, but she couldn’t remember a time when she longed for her bed more.

While summoning the will to rise from the couch she noticed that the message light on her phone was blinking malevolently. Tempted to ignore it, she nonetheless reached over and tapped the “play” button.

An unfamiliar man’s voice, clipped and officious, filled the room, “I’m calling for an Elena Samuelson, this is Dr. Rao from the Emergency Room at the Lagrange Medical Center. A patient that was brought in earlier today, Mrs. Rachel Goodfield, listed your name as her emergency contact. Please contact me at 555-7364 or come by the hospital as soon as possible.”

Stunned, Elena was at a loss to know what to do for a moment. What could have happened to Mrs. Goodfield? Should she call and find out? No, she decided; best to just go there right away. The message had been left at 6:30 and it was now 8:30—so much could have occurred in those two hours! She struggled out of the couch, slid her protesting feet back into her shoes and grabbed for her purse only to be stopped short. How to get there? Her car had stopped running a week ago and she’d had neither the time nor the money to get it repaired. She could walk—it was only about a half mile to the medical center from her apartment—but walking alone this time of night wasn’t particularly safe.

Elena had just about resigned herself to ordering a cab when her eyes fell on the business card that a few weeks before she had stuck in the frame of the Cary Grant poster that held pride of place above her desk. If this wasn’t a darn good reason to call Walter and ask for help, she didn’t know what was! She punched in the cell number he’d given her and prayed he would be available and willing to assist.

He answered on the second ring with a businesslike “Halstrom.”

“Walter?” to her chagrin her voice was shaking slightly, “It’s Elena, Elena Samuelson.”

“Elena,” he said warmly, now sounding encouragingly less businesslike. “I would say it is a pleasure to hear from you, but you sound upset. Is there anything I can do for you?”

She sagged with relief, “Yes, thanks, I do need your help. It’s Mrs. Goodfield—when I got home there was a message from the Emergency Room at Lagrange Medical Center saying that she’d been brought in earlier tonight. I was wondering whether you’d be able to walk over with me since I wouldn’t feel safe going alone at this time of night.”

“There’s no need to walk, Elena, I have a car. Can you be ready in five minutes? I will meet you in front of the building.”

“Yes, but you don’t have to…” she realized that he’d already hung up and did the same. She shook her head, although she felt a little uncomfortable asking for a ride from him, between her tiredness and worry about Mrs. Goodfield, she was quite happy not to have to walk or waste time waiting for a cab.

He pulled up just as she left the building in a car much newer and more luxurious than her own. As she slid into the front seat next to him, he asked, “Do you know what happened?”

“No, the doctor didn’t say. I could have called, but I’m so worried I just want to get there as soon as possible,” Elena told him anxiously.

They pulled up to the Emergency Room entrance and Walter waited for her to get out. A little surprised, she turned to him and said, “Thanks for the ride, Walter. I’ll…I’ll let you know tomorrow how she is.”

Walter quirked a smile in her direction, “Elena, I’ll join you right after I park.”

Elena blushed and got out of the car, feeling like an idiot, “I’ll see you in a minute, then.”

She told the nurse at the desk about the message she had received; Walter appearing just as the doctor did. The doctor looked as tired and harried as she felt, and after verifying Elena’s identity explained what had happened to her friend.

“I’m sorry to say your friend was mugged, Ms. Samuelson. From what she’s said, it sounds like a group of trolls went after her purse and got rough when she wouldn’t give it to them. The police have been here already but they’ll probably be back to question her again once she’s up to talking to them.”

Elena knees almost buckled; she extremely grateful for Walter’s supportive arm. She gasped in dismay, “Oh, no! Is she badly hurt? Can I see her?”

The doctor sighed and shook his head, “She had a bad fall, and broke her arm and her hip. I’m afraid you can’t see her right now; she’s being prepped for surgery. Mrs. Goodfield said she has no relatives in town, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Elena told him, fighting to hold back tears, “she has a son, Lawrence, but he lives in Atlanta.”

“He’ll need to be called; his mother has a long recovery in front of her. You wouldn’t happen to have his phone number, would you? Mrs. Goodfield didn’t have it with her.”

“It’s on my cell phone, I think,” Elena told him, fumbling for her purse, “I take care of her cat when she goes to visit him,” she explained.

“Good. Come with me and I’ll write it in her chart.” Elena followed the doctor to give him the number. When she returned she found Walter sitting in one of the waiting room chairs, his head in his hands.

“Are you all right, Walter?” she asked, taking the seat next to him.

He turned to her, a rueful smile on his face, “I think I’m supposed to be asking you that, Elena.” He sighed, “It’s just that…this is not supposed to happen, Elena! A sweet woman like Mrs. Goodfield brutalized by those thugs—it makes me very angry, but the same time I feel so...helpless.”

Elena snorted, but softened it with a smile and a squeeze of his hand. “Welcome to my world, Walter. As someone who’s not big, male or muscular, I can assure you that is a completely normal feeling, especially in this town.”

“I know,” he said, scrubbing a hand over his face, “but I can’t help thinking that I could have…should have done something to prevent this.”

“I don’t know what you think you could have done to prevent it, Walter, but I’m sure Rachel understands that you would have if it was in your power.” Elena stood and held out a hand to him. “C’mon, hero,” she said warmly, “the doctor says we should go to the surgical waiting room—they’ll have periodic updates for us on how she’s doing.” Her smile faltered, “That is, of course, unless there’s something else you have to do.”

He took her hand and stood, his smile having a rather alarming affect on her heart rate. “I can think of nothing I’d rather do, Elena.”

Lastly, the Winter's Gift +Slow Resistance would be a good choice for Super Jump--with ResEl you'll have a total of 40%.

You should be able to open the team window and select "Quit Task Force". If you don't get such an option, *that* would be a bug.

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only BCJ fan around here. (I have the DVDs already--it's a great set.)

Nice summary, Dawn.

Puppy-kicking hyperbole aside, funny how I never said anything remotely like "I don't like using Consume".

To clarify, I don't like having to depend on it--or any clicky end recovery power--to get through a battle, which is a far different thing.