Knight Court: a CoH story

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Chapter 9

“Ms. Castere, these ladies are friends of mine, Blue Tabby and Silverslash,” Walter said formally. Tabby gave the woman a friendly wave and Silver eyed the newcomer warily, a cool appraisal that was returned in full. “Ladies, this is Charlotte Castere, who has most generously offered to assist us in finding Elena.”

Charlotte Castere was a slender woman in her twenties, of medium height with short golden-brown hair and wearing a swallow-tailed skirt and matching cape in shades of black and purple. She nodded in acknowledgement of the other two women before turning to Walter. “Charlotte is fine,” she said briskly, in a voice surprisingly deep and melodious for one so young. “I presume you have something I can use to find your friend?”

Walter chuckled, but it had a grim edge to it, “Oh yes, the kidnappers were most considerate.” He handed her the letter they had received that morning.

She glanced at the letter, then back to Walter with an astonished look on her face, “Is this a joke, or are they really that stupid? They sent you this?”

“As hard as it is to believe, yes.” Walter met her eyes, his face bleak, “And I only wish it was a joke. Just to be certain I’ve checked with her office; they say Elena did not report to work today, even though last night she told me that was her intention. She does not answer her cell phone or her home phone. I even stopped by her apartment earlier when I picked up my car; there was no response when I knocked.”

Charlotte shook her head, “I’ll take your word for it, but it’s incredible they are that clueless.”

“Yes, it makes me wonder whether they would even have the ability to use the statue they want so desperately.” His voice hardened, “But that is irrelevant, I suppose, since they think they can and are willing to threaten an innocent woman to gain the opportunity to attempt it.”

Silver glanced at the other three and scowled in frustration, “Since I seem to be only person who doesn’t know, could someone please explain why the letter is so important? Is it because of the ‘sympathetic magic’ that Watch mentioned? Not that anyone will tell me what that is either,” she added under her breath.

“Yes,” Charlotte said brusquely. “Sympathetic magic is the magic of similarities, and one of the most useful aspects of it the ability to use a part of something,” she held up the letter with the lock of Elena’s hair, “to find the object—or person—that it came from.”

“Oh, so you can use Elena’s hair to find her—cool!” Silver snorted in amusement, “It really was stupid of them to send it, especially to a guy who knows his way around magic.”

“Let me get started,” Charlotte said as she started digging through the bag she had brought with her, “I’m sure you’ll want to get her away from those idiots as soon as possible.”

A few hours later the four of them were sitting in Walter’s car not far from a non-descript office building in Steel Canyon, which Charlotte had identified as the probable location where Elena was being held. It had taken them some time to find it; she was able to give them general directions, but of course the streets seldom allowed them to directly follow the path she indicated.

Walter stared at the building for a long moment before saying, “Silver, could you please call Rash and let him know where we are? We can start as soon as he gets here. Tabby, you know what to do; we need to know where she is and if she can be released without alarming every villain in the building.”

“You know I’m willing, Watch, but shouldn’t we wait a bit?” Tabby asked anxiously. “It’s almost time for you to call and get your instructions from them, and they may move her from wherever she’s being held since they know you’ll want to talk to her.”

Walter thumped his hand against the steering wheel, “Good lord, Tabby, you’re right, how could I have forgotten? It’s best you wait until after the phone call.” He sighed in resignation, “In the meantime, could you please hand me the case at your feet?”

Tabby passed him the case, which he opened to check to see if the statue in it was secure. Charlotte raised an eyebrow in surprise when she saw the statue for the first time, commenting, “That’s it, huh? Nasty piece of work. I can see why you wouldn’t want these yahoos to get their hands on it, but I’m a little surprised you brought it with you.”

Walter met her eyes, “Loath though I am to let them have it, I want the option of exchanging it for Elena if there is no other way to free her.” He shook his head, “I hope that is not necessary. By the way, Charlotte, once we have confirmed that she is indeed in the building, you are free to leave if you wish, with my deepest gratitude.”

Charlotte smiled grimly, “No, I think I’ll stay and help. There are quite enough inept magic users in this town without this bunch, who seem to be ruthless and dangerous as well as inept. I want them off the streets as much as you do.” At Walter’s questioning look she amended, “Well, almost as much as you do.”

Walter nodded, “Again, I thank you. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.” He pulled out his phone and gazed at it in trepidation, “But now it is time to make the call.” He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath before dialing the number.




Elena shivered and wrapped her arms around her legs, trying in vain to find a more comfortable spot on the thin cot. She wasn’t cold, exactly, but being locked up in a converted supply closet wasn’t the cheeriest situation she had ever found herself in. At least, she told herself, that she had worn slacks to work today instead of a skirt. Struck by the absurdity of her situation, she laughed, which sounded shockingly loud in the bare room. “Maybe I’ll write an article, ‘What the best-dressed hostage is wearing this fall’,” she murmured, “Or is it ‘kidnappee’? I always forget,” she added with a sigh.

Her musings were interrupted by a voice from the door. She groaned inwardly, it was one of the guards, the one she had dubbed ‘Slimy’. “Are you lonely, little girl?” he asked in a smarmy voice. “I can keep you company if you are.”

“Go away, you creep,” she replied wearily. This wasn’t the first time he had spoken to her that way and he had openly leered at her on the few occasions she had been released from her cell.

“Aw, that’s no way to act, I’m just trying to be friendly,” he said in a tone evidently meant to be ingratiating. Instead, it made her skin crawl.

Elena was trying to think of a new and inventive way to express her disgust for him, but she was saved the trouble when another person spoke. It was ‘Scuzzy’, the other guard, who despite his lack of attention to personal hygiene, was all business. “Get away from the door, you fool!” he told the first guard. “Swift Viper was clear that she is not to be bothered.”

“I’m not doing anything wrong,” Slimy whined, “I’m just being friendly, what’s the harm in that?”

“You will know ‘harm’ if he learns you have been inattentive to your duties and ignored his orders,” Scuzzy warned.

Slimy left, muttering curses under his breath. Scuzzy pounded on the door to Elena’s makeshift cell and commanded, “You…woman, be silent!”

Elena made a rude gesture at the door and growled in frustration. Oh, how she’d love to tell both of them that her boyfriend was a big, tough superhero with a lot of superhero friends able to kick their sorry butts up to their ears…but she couldn’t. She knew that their ignorance of the fact that Walter was more than just an antiquities dealer—albeit a particularly brawny one—was much too important an advantage to give up. She sighed; life was so unfair.

Thinking of Walter brought to mind the sound of his voice when she had spoken to him a short while earlier. He’d called to get instructions on how to free her, and she smirked a little at the memory of the expression on Swift Viper’s face when Walter had insisted on speaking to her first and foremost, and when he told the Tsoo leader that he’d turn the statue into scrap if she was harmed. It was obvious that Swift Viper knew that Walter meant every word.

She heard Walter’s voice in her head again and her throat constricted. When he had spoken to her had sounded fierce, and anxious, and angry, but most of all, determined when he promised to free her.

The first half hour of her captivity had been the most terrifying of her life; she didn’t know why they had taken her, what they wanted or what they planned to do with her. It was only after they had arrived at their destination that she learned that they wanted to exchange her for some statue Walter had, and it had come as a huge relief. Once Walter knew they had her, he would come, she was as certain of that as she had been of anything in her life. He would come, rescue her, and these losers would get to experience some retribution of biblical proportions. Or at least he’d beat them up and send them to jail.

“But it would be nice if you could hurry, Walter,” she whispered to herself.

She was whiling away the time by deciding whether pizza or a shower would be the first order of business when she was out when Slimy spoke again, asking “You still there, little girl?” Elena rolled her eyes—where the hell else would she be? “You know,” he continued, “maybe that boyfriend of yours won’t come, and Swift Viper will give you to me to play with. Would you like that, little girl?”

Elena shuddered, where was Scuzzy when she needed him? “He is coming, you pathetic creep,” she retorted. But before she could continue Slimy cried out and fell heavily against the door.

The next thing she heard was a woman’s voice, “Don’t worry, Elena, the only action he’ll be getting is if Bluto, his new cellmate at the Zig, takes a liking to him.” She made a noise of disgust, “What a pig.” The lock turned and the door opened; standing in the doorway smiling at her was Blue Tabby, Walter’s friend.

“Oh. Oh!” Elena exclaimed, flinging her self across the room to give the woman a hug; causing Tabby to hastily retract her claws so she wouldn’t hurt her inadvertently. “Tabby, I’m so glad to see you!”

Tabby chuckled, “I guess you’re not too upset that it’s me and not Watch.”

“No, of course not,” Elena assured her, “I’m just thankful to get out of there. But why is it you, anyway?”

“I’m better at the sneaky stuff,” Tabby explained, “and he needs to make an appearance as Walter before we lower the boom on these creeps. Which reminds me…” she muttered and pulled a cell phone out of a small pocket in her skirt. She speed-dialed a number and as soon as it was answered she said, “Mission accomplished, Watch. I’ve got her and she’s fine.”

Tabby had the speaker on so Elena could hear Walter’s response; the relief in his voice was palpable. “Oh, thank the Watcher!” he murmured, “And thank you, Tabby, I am in your debt.”

“Glad to help. Do you want to talk to her?” Tabby asked.

“God, yes…but no, there is too much to say. Tell her…tell her I will see her soon. Where will you be?”

“We’ll find a safe place to hole up where we can watch the show. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” Tabby assured him.

“I know you will be, Tabby, thank you.” His voice hardened, “It’s time to end this.”

Elena was a little disappointed that she didn’t get to speak to him, but she understood his reasoning. More than anything she wanted to see him and touch him, and a mere phone conversation paled in comparison. She sighed inwardly, “So where are we going? What ‘show’ are you talking about?”

Tabby grinned, “I bet you’d like to see these clowns go down—I know I’m looking forward to it! I thought we’d find a safe place to watch the battle.”

Elena felt a surge of excitement, “Oh yes, I’d love that, I’ve never actually seen Walter fight.”

“Come on, then,” Tabby said, and started down the corridor.

“Just a second,” Elena replied, and before she joined the other woman Elena paused and gave vigorous kick to Slimy’s ribs. She looked up at Tabby and smiled a little sheepishly, “He really was a pig, but I guess that wasn’t very heroic of me.”

Tabby snorted in amusement, “Last time I checked you were the victim—being heroic is strictly optional.” She grinned, “You can kick him again if you like.” The younger woman led Elena down the corridor and up some stairs. “I scouted this route earlier. It should be safe, but stay behind me if we run into any of the bad guys.”

They didn’t see any Tsoo, fortunately, and Tabby quickly brought her to a small balcony that overlooked the large open room where she had been taken for Walter’s call earlier. She could see the Tsoo leader, Swift Viper, still holding court, surrounded by a sizable number of followers.

“Stay back in the doorway for now,” Tabby advised in a whisper. “Once the fighting starts I don’t think they’ll notice if you come out to watch.”

Elena sat on the stairs just inside the doorway and Tabby lounged against the wall nearby. The young superhero cleared her throat, looking a little uncomfortable. “Elena,” she began, “I know you might be angry with Watch, since he’s kind of responsible for getting you kidnapped, but he never expected it to happen and he feels really bad about it.” She flushed, “Wow, did that sound lame!” Tabby sighed, “I’m sorry—I’m making a hash of this. I guess what I’m trying to say is that Watch is great guy and he really cares about you. I hope you’ll give him another chance.” She shook her head, “As you’ve probably noticed he’s a pretty controlled guy, but I’ve never seen him as upset as when he opened the letter saying they had kidnapped you.”

Elena reddened, “Thanks, Tabby. I…I need to talk to Walter before making any decisions about what happens from here.” She smiled, “But for what it’s worth, I do really care about him, and I never doubted for a minute that he’d come to rescue me.” She paused for a moment, then added, “You know, it’s kind of funny, I was so worried about being involved with a superhero, but it was Walter who got me into this situation, and Watcher’s Hand—and friends—who are getting me out of it.”

“Heh,” Tabby chuckled, “I guess having a boyfriend who’s a superhero isn’t all bad.”

Elena agreed wordlessly with a wry smile and lift of her shoulders. She glanced at the other woman curiously, “Tabby, Walter said that he’s known you since you were fifteen—how did you meet him?”

“He told you that?” Tabby asked with a smile. “Yeah, that’s right—fifteen and very young and stupid.” Elena forbore to add the comment she wanted to make, that nineteen still seemed very young to her. “After I got my powers,” Tabby went on, “I was hell-bent on being a superhero, even though my parents were dead set against it. All the begging and pleading and pouting didn’t change their minds, so I started sneaking out at night to try my hand at being a hero. Stupid, huh? It went okay at first, but one night I got into a situation that was way over my head. By rights I should have been dead, or at least had a long stay in the hospital, but Watch saw that I was in trouble and came to my rescue.

“You’d think that would make me lose my taste for heroing,” she grinned, “but no. Just the opposite, in fact. I’d finally gotten to meet a real hero, and he was such a great guy besides. So I begged him to let me work with him. He was reluctant at first because I was so young, but in the end he agreed—with a condition. My parents had to give me permission. I was furious when he told me that; I was sure it just a way to getting out of it without having to say ‘no’.”

“It wasn’t?” Elena prompted.

Tabby shook her head, “No—he really made a case to my parents for why they should let me. Told them I had a lot of potential, but it was too dangerous for me to be on my own. Said he couldn’t promise I wouldn’t get hurt, but that he’d do his best to protect me and teach me how to protect myself.”

“I guess it worked,” Elena noted with a smile.

“Yeah,” the younger woman said with a wistful look on her face. “Now, it wasn’t all Watch; I think my parents were afraid if they didn’t agree I’d go out on my own again. But a lot of it was him; there’s something about him that just exudes—I don’t know…sincerity and trustworthiness, I guess. You can’t talk to him for more than a few minutes without knowing he’s one of the good guys.”

Elena sighed, “I’ve noticed.”

“He’s done so much for me, I’d like to see him happy—and you make him happy. There haven’t been a lot of other women, either, though God knows that between other heroes and the grateful public, it’s not due to lack of opportunity.” Tabby reddened, “Damn, probably shouldn’t have said that.”

“Let’s just say I’m not surprised,” Elena commented dryly. “But…thanks, Tabby.”

She grinned in reply, “I should be thanking you; you won me fifty bucks!”

“What?” Elena asked in confusion.

“Long story,” Tabby told her with a sly smile. While they’d been talking the noise level in the room they were overlooking had increased appreciably. Now Tabby peeked through the door, “Looks like the curtain’s about to go up.”

Elena joined her at the door and noticed that Swift Viper was having an animated discussion with some of his followers. “What’s going on?” she asked Tabby in an undertone.

“He’s probably upset because Watch moved up the timetable on him—he wasn’t supposed to be here for a half hour or more.”

Elena’s heart constricted; Walter had appeared in the doorway, impeccably dressed as always, and carrying a metal briefcase. He was flanked by two Tsoo lieutenants, but if the intention was to make him seem like their prisoner, it was entirely unsuccessful. He strode calmly in front of them, easily a head taller than any of the men around him, looking not the least bit fearful or intimidated.




Walter stopped a few yards from the Tsoo leader and eyed him coolly; he felt one of the Tsoo who had escorted him approach from behind, presumably to urge him closer. Before the man could touch him, Walter turned and gave him a level look that caused him to pale and fall back.

Swift Viper glared at him through narrowed eyes, “I judge you to be a cautious and intelligent man, Halstrom. You could not have kept my prize from me for so long if you had not been. So it…surprises me that you would risk this woman that you care for by disregarding my instructions.” His voice hardened, “I hope you are not assuming that I will hesitate to kill her as I promised.”

Walter snorted humorlessly, “Oh, I have every confidence that you are the murderous scum that you have always claimed to be.” He shrugged, “But simply put, that is no longer relevant.”

The Tsoo leader stared at in him astonishment, “You don’t care that I will kill your woman…this Elena?”

Walter shook his head, “You misunderstand me. I am not here to exchange the statue for her safety; you no longer have the power to harm her.” He smiled grimly, “I am here to tell you that this is over. You are done.”

Rage darkened Swift Viper’s face, “You think you…”

Before he could finish, there was a thunderous roar from the doorway, accompanied by shrill cries of alarm and the sound of battle. Two of Swift Viper’s men came flying through the doorway, and not under their own power. Their bodies bowled over several other Tsoo before coming to rest on the floor, battered and unconscious.

The Tsoo leader stared at the fallen men for a moment then glanced at Walter, his eyes wide, “What…”

Walter’s smile broadened into a grin, “That, my friend, is the end of the world as you know it.”

.

Thanks for the comment!

I wouldn't worry too much about the ending; Walter and I share a preference for stories that come out all right in the end.

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Chapter 10

“Oh, I wish I could hear what they’re saying!” Elena muttered. She and Tabby were too far away to hear the conversation, but it was clear from his body language that Swift Viper was angry about something. In contrast, Walter looked confident and in control.

Before Elena could decipher what was happening, she heard a great roar from the double doorway that was the main entrance into the room they were overlooking. She, and everyone else in the room it seemed, stared at the doorway in surprise. In the next moment two of Swift Viper’s men came hurtling through, looking remarkably like they’d been thrown. The room fell into a stunned silence for a moment before erupting into a flurry of noise and motion.

A man appeared in the doorway; a very big man, wearing a loose costume of green and brown. He was bald with a number of strange tattoos across his head and face that gave him a ferocious look. The man was holding a limp Tsoo in his left hand and a sword in his right, and he addressed the room in a booming voice, “There are villains here that need a thrashing, and Rash will be the one to do it!” Several Tsoo approached him, weapons drawn; he casually knocked them flying using the unconscious man in his grip as a makeshift club. He dropped the man he was holding and pulled a second sword. Raising both swords in challenge, he cried, “Evil, meet my sword; sword, meet evil!” before exploding into a blur of motion, felling foes on every side.

Elena turned to Tabby and asked in a strangled voice, “Who is that? He’s…he’s huge!”

Tabby grinned at her, obviously enjoying her reaction. “Oh, that’s Rash…Rashemaar Ranger. A friend of ours.”

“Who, or what is a Rashemaar?” Elena asked, feeling more than a little baffled.

“It’s actually a ‘where’, that’s where he says he’s from,” Tabby answered. “But don’t worry if you don’t recognize the name, Rash says it’s not in our world.”

“So…he’s an alien like the Rikti or the Kheldians?”

“Oh no, he’s human, it’s more of an alternative universe thing, I think.” Tabby shrugged, “He’s kind of vague on the specifics. Funny thing, though, he says he recognizes Watch from the same world, and that he fought alongside him there too.”

Elena’s eyes widened in shock, “He does? Does Walter remember him from the same place?”

Tabby snorted, “Heck no. No idea what he’s talking about. But Rash doesn’t mind, as long as they can keep butt-kicking the bad guys together.” Seeing Elena’s alarmed expression she added reassuringly, “Don’t worry, Rash is a really sweet guy despite looking so scary. But whatever you do, don’t mention hamsters. He’s got kind of a…thing about hamsters.”

She stared at Tabby for a moment, uncertain whether the young woman was pulling her leg or not. Tabby shrugged and raised her hands in an eloquent gesture before turning her attention to the fighting below them.

Swift Viper had recovered from the surprise of Rash’s dramatic entrance, and was advancing on Walter, sword drawn. At the same time, one of the lieutenants standing behind Walter moved up, presumably to assist his master. Walter stepped back and intercepted the lieutenant, using the man’s own forward momentum against him with a well placed shove that sent him careening into Swift Viper. The two men went down in a tangle of limbs and Walter neatly dispatched the other lieutenant by jabbing him hard in the gut with the edge of the metal briefcase. He went down gasping for air.

Walter won free of the thin ring of Swift Viper’s minions easily enough; most were more focused on the fighting around Rash than preventing his escape. He scanned the room and Tabby waved to catch his attention; his face lit when he saw them and he quickly ran toward them.

Elena’s heart was beating hard as she watched him approach. There was so much she wanted to say to him…and when they could finally be alone together she felt torn between an urge to punch him in the nose and just wanting to be in his arms again.

He stopped beneath their balcony and called, “Tabby!” before lofting the briefcase in their direction. Tabby caught it, though she had to launch herself from the balcony to do so. She hovered in the air long enough to make certain she had a secure grip on the case before dropping back to the balcony beside Elena.

Walter turned toward Elena and their eyes met and held. She had, of course, heard the expression “your heart in your eyes” before, but she’d never seen it as plainly as she did on Walter’s face when he looked at her. Elena had expected him to be happy, or pleased, or elated to see her, but instead he seemed worried and sad. “Elena,” he called, searching her face intently, though for what she didn’t know. Walter glanced away briefly before meeting her eyes again, saying “Soon, Elena, soon.” He gave her a wan smile and disappeared into the doorway beneath their balcony.

Soon? What the hell does that mean? Elena sighed in frustration; what was wrong with him? Why didn’t he look glad that she was safe and unharmed? She shook off her confusion and turned to Tabby, asking, “Where is he going?”

“Getting into his armor, I expect,” Tabby answered with a smile. “I’m sure he wants in on finishing them off.”

Elena felt like an idiot, of course he couldn’t just change into Watcher’s Hand here in front of all these Tsoo! “Don’t you want to be down there, Tabby?” Elena asked her curiously.

Tabby shrugged, “It would be fun, but I don’t mind missing one fight.” She chuckled, “You know, a few years ago I would have resented being given the ‘safe’ job, but I know this is really important to Watch and he wouldn’t have asked me to do it if he didn’t trust me.”

Elena bit off a retort that Walter certainly wasn’t acting like she was important to him, chiding herself that she should give him the benefit of the doubt. He had assembled his friends to help save her, after all. She glanced down at the battle still raging in the main room and noticed that Silverslash was fighting alongside Rashemaar Ranger, her body sprouting retractable spines that the metal of her costume morphed to accommodate. Silver was facing two foes dressed differently than the other Tsoo; they were wearing what looked like skirts rather than pants, and odd wide-brimmed hats. Elena pointed them out to Tabby, who made a noise of disgust. “Sorcerers. It figures there would be some around since their boss is dabbling in magic. They’re a royal pain to fight, but Silver’s faced them before. She’ll be all right.”

Elena noticed another woman fighting as well, one she didn’t recognize, wearing vaguely Victorian-style clothing in black and purple. As Elena watched, the woman gestured and a…thing appeared; it looked like a featureless cloud of black smoke with…eyes, disconcertingly enough. She gestured again, and this time a trio of things materialized, distinctly humanoid in form, but completely featureless. All the creatures advanced on the Tsoo at her command.

“Okay, now I’m officially creeped out,” Elena murmured. She turned to her companion, “Tabby who’s the other woman? I haven’t seen her before.”

“Her name is Charlotte Castere,” Blue Tabby told her. “I just met her today. She’s an experienced magic user that Watch met at his shop. She helped us find you and stayed on for the fight.”

Before Elena could question her further, Walter—or rather, Watcher’s Hand—appeared, from a different door than he had exited, wearing his full armor. Elena’s heart thudded on seeing him, and she leaned against the balcony railing to get a better look. Fortunately, during the battle the Tsoo had steadily retreated toward Elena and Tabby’s end of the room, so it was much easier to see and hear what was going on than at the beginning of the fight.

Watcher’s Hand crossed the room to join the other heroes, crying, “That villain is mine!” in a ringing voice. The battle was almost over; all but a small group of Swift Viper’s men had been defeated, and they were positioned in a tight ring around their leader.

“Of course, friend Watcher,” Rashemaar Ranger answered in his booming voice, “we were saving him for you.”

Elena was so excited she didn’t realize for a moment that she had grabbed Tabby’s arm. Then she noticed something that made her gasp in dismay and unconsciously tighten her hold, “Tabby, where’s his mace? He forgot his mace!”

Tabby smiled and said reassuringly, “It’s okay, just keep watching.”

When Watch was within a few yards from the Tsoo, he reached over shoulder with his right hand and the handle of the massive mace just…appeared in his grip.

Elena felt her jaw drop, “That was cool!” she exclaimed.

Tabby grinned in response, “Yeah, his mace has concealment spells on it, like his armor.” She shook her head, “Watch has style, gotta give him that.”

He reached the group of men surrounding Swift Viper and with one mighty swing cleared out the men in front of the Tsoo leader, sending them sprawling. The other three heroes advanced to engage the remaining minions so Watcher faced Swift Viper alone.

“Drop your sword and surrender like the coward you are, Viper, or face me now!” Watch cried, advancing within striking distance of the Tsoo leader.

“I will show you I am no coward!” Swift Viper growled, lunging at Watcher’s Hand.

Watch evaded the thrust easily. “Oh, but you are,” he taunted, “you had your men restrain an unarmed man while you cut him down, what other name could you give to someone so craven?”

“Yes, I killed the thief,” Swift Viper snarled, “and I will kill you!” He swung at his opponent again and again, but Watch parried each blow on his mace with no apparent difficulty.

“Oh, I think not,” Watch answered, his voice hard, pressing the attack once more and forcing the Tsoo leader to give ground. “A coward, and a contemptible coward at that, to snatch a defenseless woman off the street and threaten her with violence.” Mace struck katana with a resounding clang, Watch raining blows on the Tsoo until with a final discordant note the katana blade went flying, broken a few inches from the hilt.

Swift Viper dropped his sword, acknowledging defeat. “So, you will kill me now, hero?” he asked, unable to keep the sneer out of his voice.

Watch snorted derisively, “As tempting as that may be, no. I think sitting in a cell contemplating your failure—and your cowardice—for many years to come is a much more fitting punishment.”

Distracted by the battle against Watcher’s Hand, Swift Viper had not noticed Rashemaar Ranger circling behind him after his remaining men had been defeated. “May I be of assistance, my friend?” he rumbled, causing the Tsoo leader to start in surprise.

“Yes, thank you, Rash,” Watch answered with a nod. Rash leaned forward and struck Swift Viper on the head with his sword hilt, a surprisingly gentle tap for such a large man. The Tsoo leader crumpled soundlessly to the floor.

Watch heaved a sigh of relief—at last it was over. He turned to Silver, “Silver, did you see where Swift Viper’s blade went when it fell?”

“Yeah, Watch, do you want me to get it?”

“Note where it lies but don’t touch it, please. If he killed Terry with his own sword—and he was certainly arrogant enough to do so—it might provide some useful forensic evidence for the police."

Rash thumped Watch on the back and said heartily, “A good day, my friend! To fight alongside you once more, and put the boot to the backside of evil! And your lady is saved, yes?” Rash glanced up and added, “This must be her now, with friend Tabby.”

As soon as Elena and Blue Tabby joined them, Rash greeted them enthusiastically, giving Tabby a comradely but bone-cracking hug. Elena was a little leery of getting the same treatment, but instead he bowed and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Elena. Rash was honored to help rescue you from these villains.”

Elena smiled warmly in reply; there was something about the good-hearted zeal with which he seemed to approach life that she found to be extremely endearing. “Why thank you, Rash,” she responded, “it is a pleasure to meet you too. Tabby has told me so much about you.”

Rash reddened and nodded his thanks, evidently for once at a loss for words.

As Tabby had recovered her breath after his hug, the big man remarked to her, “Rash even met a new witch!” in a confiding tone that was nonetheless quite audible to the others standing nearby. He cast an admiring glance in Charlotte’s direction; she looked surprised and a little alarmed at the attention. Rash edged closer to her and said shyly, “Rash wonders if the lady would consider becoming his new witch?”

“Excuse me?” Charlotte replied, understandably taken aback.

“Lighten up, Blondie,” Silver muttered under her breath, “he’s not insulting you.”

Her remark was met by a hostile glare from Charlotte, but before she could respond, Tabby intervened, “Charlotte, Rash told me where he comes from being a ‘witch’ is an honorable profession, and they fight alongside warriors…”

“Working in tandem, to bring the fist of justice to evil!” Rash proclaimed, regaining his earlier gusto. “Alas, Rash has not had a witch for a very long time,” he said sadly.

Charlotte’s expression softened as she looked up at the towering man sympathetically, “I’m sorry, she obviously meant a lot to you, and I’m flattered that you would ask me to fill her place. But I already have a…warrior,” she said with a smile. “But for what it’s worth,” Charlotte continued, seeing the disappointment on his face, “it was an honor to be your witch for today.” He smiled in reply, clearly heartened.

“Oh, and for the record,” she added coolly, glaring at Silver, “if you ever call me ‘Blondie’ again I’ll send you to another dimension.”

In the uncomfortable silence that followed Tabby put in, “I called the PPD and asked for Lieutenant Robbins like you asked, Watch. They said they’ll give him the message right away.”

Elena had not looked in Walter’s direction since they had joined the group, but now as he thanked Tabby she forced herself to do so. Her heart in her throat, she met his eyes, not knowing what she’d find there. She saw the same sad, intent expression that she had before, but this time instead of speaking he walked stiffly toward her and took her hands in his.

“I am sorry, Elena,” he murmured. “I am more sorry than I can express that this has happened to you.” For a moment it seemed he might say more, but instead he dropped her hands and looked away.

Not sure what to do or say, Elena glanced at Tabby. It was clear from the other woman’s expression that she was also surprised by Walter’s reaction.

But it was Silver who spoke next, “Hey Watch, you should probably get into your civvies since the cops are on their way. They’ll expect to see Walter, right?” Watch agreed and moved a short distance away to activate the spells on his armor.

By happenstance Elena found herself standing next to Silver when she and Tabby had joined the others. Elena actually felt a little intimidated by the woman; she didn’t seem nearly as friendly and approachable as Tabby. So it was a bit of a surprise when Silver, in a dry undertone meant for Elena’s ears alone, said, “Tabby and I always hope he’ll get stuck halfway through and end up in his boxers. Hasn’t happened yet,” she added glumly. Elena choked back a laugh.

Watch’s transformation to Walter went off without a hitch as expected. Silver glanced sidelong at Elena, an amused glint in her eyes, “But I guess you can get that view anytime you want.”

Elena didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, I wish! she thought bitterly.

In the meantime Elena noticed some form of silent communication passing between Tabby and Silver. Silver cleared her throat, “Say, maybe some of us should go to the lobby so we can show the cops the way in.”

Without missing a beat, Tabby piped up, “Great idea, Silver! We’ll all go and you two,” indicating Walter and Elena, “can stay here. I’m sure you’d appreciate some alone time,” she said pointedly.

Not the most subtle approach but it had the desired effect, the four costumed heroes headed toward the door. As she passed Elena, Tabby whispered, “Try to get him talking!”

A moment later Silver passed her on the other side and hissed, “Hit him over the head if you have to!”

As soon as they disappeared, Walter slumped against a desk that was part of the room’s reception area. “Again, Elena, I am sorry for this,” he said in a dejected voice.

I can get him talking, but how do I get him to say something useful? she asked herself, tempted to resort to Silver’s tactics. “You’re sorry, I know. You said that before. I get it,” Elena snapped, unable to keep the frustration out of her voice.

Walter shook his head, “I understand why you’re angry, and God knows I deserve it. But try not to be angry with Silver and Tabby. They were just trying to help and didn’t realize that the last thing you want is to be alone with me.”

Elena stared at him in confusion, “Why would I be angry with them? And why wouldn’t I want to be alone with you?” Her emotions were starting to get the best of her again, and she struggled to hold back her tears, “What I don’t understand is why you’re being so c…cold to me, and uncaring,” she choked.

That got his attention. His head snapped up and he stared at her, his face anguished, “Uncaring? That’s what you think? By the gods, Elena, never that!”

He approached her uncertainly, obviously unsure whether he should touch her. She was not at all hesitant and leaned against him with a sigh. Taking his cue from her he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and stroking her hair while she cried softly. “I was so scared, Walter,” she hiccupped, “when they grabbed me off the street and put me in the car. But then they told me that they wanted something from you, and I just knew you would come. The waiting was really hard, though.”

“I’m so sor... Curses!” Walter exclaimed. “Why can I do nothing right? Elena, it’s like a knife in my heart to think I am to blame for putting you through this—by rights you should hate me!”

“Walter, I don’t hate you! I know you didn’t mean for this to happen!”

Walter pulled away from her and met her eyes, his face bleak, “You don’t know everything, Elena. I almost told you about the statue last night…” He chuckled mirthlessly, “Gods, was it only last night? It seems an eternity! If…if I had told you, perhaps none of this would have happened.”

“You knew I was in danger?” Elena asked in surprise.

“Elena, no!” Walter cried with a horrified look on his face, “I would have done something to protect you if I had known or even suspected they would come after you! The Tsoo were in Skyway looking for me, and that’s what caused the Trolls to become aggressive and assault Mrs. Goodfield.” He looked away, unable to meet her eyes, “But I was too ashamed to tell you that I was partly responsible for her injury. And I…I should have known that you might be in danger, but I never considered it. I was just so happy that you cared and didn’t mind my being Watcher’s Hand that I didn’t think it through properly.”

Elena paused thoughtfully before responding, “I suppose if I had known that they were after the statue it might have been a little less frightening when they first grabbed me, but I really don’t see what else it would have changed.”

“But Elena, it was my fault that this happened to you—you could have been killed! How could you possibly trust me after this, or want me in your life?” he asked plaintively.

She stared at him a moment through narrowed eyes, as if he was a puzzle she was determined to solve. Her face cleared, “Oh, I get it; you’re working yourself up to be all noble and give me up because you’ve decided you’re no good for me.”

Walter looked nonplussed, “It’s not that simple, Elena!”

“It isn’t?” She asked with her hands on her hips. “Tell me then, since they were after Walter and not Watcher’s Hand, is anyone else after Walter? Has anything like this happened to you before?”

“Well, no,” he admitted reluctantly.

“Do you have any reason to believe it will happen again—or at least that there’s a greater chance than for anyone else living in Paragon City?” she continued relentlessly.

“I…I don’t believe so.” He gently touched her cheek, “I know you’re right, Elena, but it near broke my heart that they threatened you, and I think it would have if you had been harmed. How can I ask you to risk yourself again, when I have failed you so completely once already?”

Elena sighed and gave him an exasperated look. “I understand that you feel guilty about this, Walter, and you want to do the right thing. I suppose that’s good—I wouldn’t want you to be too blasé about having your girlfriend kidnapped and held hostage.” She glared at him, “But one thing you need to get straight, buster, is that you don’t get to decide what’s best for me, or what I should feel about you.” She shook her head, “Ugh, I’ve always hated those love stories where one of the couple is a self-sacrificing idiot and leaves because they’re ‘not good enough’—it’s so infuriating that they don’t give the other person a say in it.”

Walter was staring at her in astonishment for so long that she finally prompted him, “What?”

He snorted, clearly torn between bafflement and amusement, “A moment, if you don’t mind, Elena, I will need some time to adjust to the novelty of being called ‘buster’ by a beautiful woman.”

She crossed her arms, “Calling me ‘beautiful’ will not make me change my mind.”

Humor warmed Walter’s eyes, “Does it at least help?”

Elena gave him a wry smile in return, “It doesn’t hurt.” She leaned close and put her arms around his neck, “You may think you don’t deserve to be happy, but I think we both do. You make me happy, Walter, so unless you can honestly say that your feelings have changed since last night, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

He chuckled, “You’ll make me happy whether I want to be or not?”

She smiled up at him, “Something like that.”

He bent down to kiss her lightly, “And since you ask, nay, I will not lie and say that I have had a change of heart when it comes to you. I loved you then and I love you now.” Before she could react, he pulled her tight against him and kissed her; a kiss that left no doubt in Elena’s mind about his feelings for her, or that he was worth fighting for.


In case anyone is curious, here are the actual ATs and powersets of the characters portrayed in this story:

Watcher’s Hand: Invulnerability/War Mace Tanker (level 50+, Justice)
Silverslash: Spines/Dark Armor Scrapper (level 50+, Justice)
Blue Tabby: Super Reflexes/Claws Scrapper (level 47, Justice)
Charlotte Castere: Illusion/Empathy Controller (level 30, Union)
Rashemaar Ranger: Willpower/Dual Blades Tanker (level 35, Freedom)

/Seconded!

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Chapter 11

Fortunately, Walter and Elena heard Rash’s voice long before he came into view; he was giving the police a detailed description of their fight with the Tsoo.

“Hold that thought, Walter, we’ll continue this conversation later,” Elena whispered.

“I shall look forward to it, my dear,” Walter answered with a sigh. He released Elena more than a little reluctantly, and just in time before the four costumed heroes and the police appeared in the doorway.

“Here, Lieutenant Robbins,” Rash concluded triumphantly, “is where we imprinted the boot heel of justice on the backside of evil! And rescued the pretty lady, of course. Ah, what a glorious battle it was!”

“Uh, right, thanks for the tour,” A middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a harried expression gave Rash an incredulous look before moving away to give instructions to the forensic team he had brought with him. Behind him, Tabby and Silver looked suspiciously like they were trying not to laugh. When Tabby caught Elena’s eye, she grinned happily, and given that Walter’s arm was still around Elena’s waist it must have been obvious to her that they had worked things out between them.

A few minutes later Lieutenant Robbins approached the couple. Robbins shook his head before offering his hand to Walter. “Well, Halstrom, you called us in a little later than I expected. Your friends didn’t leave us much to do.”

Walter’s arm tightened around Elena, “I’m truly sorry, Lieutenant, if it had just been a matter of arresting Swift Viper and his men I would have left it to you. But under the circumstances…”

Robbins sighed and waved off Walter’s explanation; “I’m not sure I would have done any different in a hostage situation if I had a bunch of capes willing to help.” He met Walter’s eyes, “But don’t quote me on that.” Robbins turned his attention to Elena, “Are you all right, Ms. Samuelson?”

Elena nodded, “I’m fine, Lieutenant. It was scary, but they just kept me locked up most of the time.”

Robbins grunted, “It might affect you more than you expect, ma’am. Don’t be afraid to get help if you need it.”

Walter cleared his throat, “Perhaps someone from the police could call Elena’s supervisor so there aren’t so many awkward questions when she returns to work.”

“I’ll arrange it,” Robbins agreed. “Don’t plan to go to work tomorrow Ms. Samuelson, I think you’ll need some time to recover, and we have to get a statement from you.” He raised one eyebrow, “Unless of course you’d like to do it today.”

“Oh no, tomorrow is fine,” she told him hastily. “Lieutenant, what will you tell my supervisor?” she asked, looking a little worried.

“As little as possible; just that you were the victim of a crime and are uninjured. You can decide how much more to tell folks later.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Elena said, smiling warmly, “Walter and I will come by the station tomorrow to give our statements.”

“Sounds good.” He smiled and shook both their hands, “Halstrom, I think it’s time for you to get your lady home.”

Near the door, Rash had caught both Charlotte and Silver in a one-armed embrace, proclaiming happily, “Camaraderie, adventure, and steel on steel, what could be better?”

Robbins walked away, shaking his head and muttering in a disbelieving voice to no one in particular, “Where did they find that guy?”




Walter pulled his car up to the front of their apartment building and stopped, “Elena, could you please humor me this once and let me drop you off? I know you must be tired.”

Elena, who had been sitting as close to him as her seat belt permitted, smiled indulgently, “Oh, all right, Walter, just this once since you asked so nicely. I am tired, though I don’t know why since I’ve been sitting around all day.” She unbuckled her seat belt in preparation for exiting the car, and now sidled over next to him. “You know, when I was locked up I decided that what I wanted most when I got home was to change into something really comfortable, order pizza and watch old movies. But it won’t be nearly as much fun by myself.” She nuzzled his cheek, “Would you like to join me? We can order enough pizza for two.”

Walter smiled and pulled her close, “That sounds wonderfully slothful, Elena, and I would be happy to join you.” He met her eyes, his face serious, “Truthfully, I don’t like the idea of you being alone tonight. As Lieutenant Robbins said, what you’ve been through may have a greater effect on you than you realize. Would you at least consider letting me stay with you tonight? On your couch, of course,” he added hastily.

“Oh, would you, Walter?” Elena asked excitedly, “I hated to ask—you must think that I’m such a wimp, but I’d feel so much better having you around.”

Walter made an exasperated noise, “You are far from being a ‘wimp’, Elena—you’ve been extremely brave through this whole ordeal. And besides the fact it is always a pleasure spending time with you, it’s important that you be safe and feel safe as well.” He kissed her lightly, “Go on, then, my dear. I’ll be up shortly after I change and get a few things for the night.”

“Right,” Elena answered, giving him an enthusiastic hug, “See you soon!”

He sighed and shook his head as he watched her enter the apartment building; he was looking forward to the evening, but anticipated that it would severely test his self-control.

A half hour later he was at Elena’s door, overnight bag in hand. Elena smiled happily when she let him in. “There you are! I just got off the phone with Melissa, she left three messages wondering why I wasn’t at work today, and I knew she would call again if I didn’t speak to her.”

“What did you tell her?”

Elena made a face, “To quote Lieutenant Robbins, ‘as little as possible.’ Just that I ran into trouble on my way to work, but that I’m fine and will be back at work on Monday. I used the fact that you were coming over as a reason to get off the phone.”

Walter looked at her earnestly, “If you feel you need to tell her what actually happened, and that I was responsible, I will understand—it’s no less than the truth, after all.”

“Walter, I don’t want her to think badly of you! Besides, if I mention that there were superheroes involved, she’ll want to know all the details, and I think it would seem like a bit too much of a coincidence that the same heroes saved me this time that helped us in PI.”

“Ah, I see what you mean. That would be hard to explain,” Walter agreed.

Elena slid her arms around his neck and leaned against his chest, “So, Walter, I see you’ve changed clothes. Does that mean what I think it means…there’s no armor, just you?”

Walter wondered whether a time would come when it ceased to be a thrill to have Elena in his arms; fortunately, there was no risk of that yet. “Indeed it does, my lady. Watcher’s Hand has been put away for the night, and what you see before you is just…me.”

“Good. I’ve come to appreciate Watcher’s Hand a lot more after today, but I don’t think he’ll be needed tonight,” she replied with a smile that made his heart beat faster. “I need to take a shower, could you order the pizza for us? I like anything but olives and anchovies.”

Walter was happy to oblige, though Elena’s brief departing kiss turned into a much longer one before she actually left for the bathroom. He reached for the phone, resolutely forcing his mind away from the idea of Elena in the shower.




Some time later, Elena rested her head against Walter’s shoulder with a sigh of contentment. The evening had proven two things to her; one, that Walter could eat a lot of pizza, and two, spending time with him like this was pure bliss. It wasn’t just that she felt safe with him—though she certainly did—but he was also funny, warm and affectionate, and made her feel beautiful even in her most comfortable and least sexy pajamas. It was getting late, but she didn’t want their time together to end.

“Perhaps you should think about getting some sleep, Elena,” Walter murmured, his beard soft against her cheek, “I know you are accustomed to keeping early hours—you don’t have to stay up for me.”

“Well, since I’m not going to work tomorrow I can sleep in, and I know you don’t like getting up early anyway,” she said, poking him familiarly in the chest, which he took in good part. “So I think I can make it through another movie. Besides, I can’t believe you haven’t seen Bringing up Baby, we have to correct that little problem right away.”

“Alas, until I met you I had no idea how deficient my education was in certain areas,” he chuckled.

“Cary Grant plays a smart, nerdy guy who wears glasses, but of course he’s still gorgeous anyway,” Elena told him, her eyes twinkling, “you should be able to relate to that.”

He sighed dramatically, “My dear, you have uncovered my secret weakness; I cannot resist flattery from a beautiful woman wearing pink bunny pajamas. Start the movie, Elena.”




Breathing hard, Elena dashed into a side office and flattened herself against the wall, holding her breath until the Tsoo patrol passed noisily by. She had never been in an office building like this; nothing made any sense—stairs that led nowhere, balconies overlooking tiny, bare rooms, and floors that were much larger or smaller that the floor below. She was starting to feel that she would never find her way out, and adding to her growing desperation was the fact that the building was filled with Tsoo who would suddenly appear out of nowhere. She knew, she just knew Walter was here somewhere and would help her, but she couldn’t find him or call his name without alerting the Tsoo to her location. Elena crept out of the office and listened; no one seemed to be coming so she moved quietly down the hall and turned the corner—into the waiting arms of Slimy and Scuzzy, her Tsoo guards from earlier that day. Slimy reached for her, a lecherous grin on his face…and she woke from her dream with a gasp of fear.

She was in her own bed, in her own room, but had absolutely no memory of how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was cuddling on the couch with Walter watching the movie. Once her heart stopped beating quite so hard she glanced at the clock on the bedside table; it read two a.m. There was nothing that was the least bit alarming in her room, or in her apartment as far as she could tell, but she still felt the need for some reassurance so she got up and padded quietly into the living room.

And there, on the couch as he had promised, was Walter, fast asleep wrapped in one her spare blankets. She smiled to see him, her heart full, and a feeling of fierce possessiveness washed over her; he was hers, this sweet, gorgeous guy, here because he wanted her to feel safe. Elena couldn’t resist; she had to touch him to convince herself he was real. He stirred as she smoothed his sleep-tousled hair, but did not wake up.

Elena watched him sleep for a few minutes before turning toward the bedroom with a sigh. She should just go back to bed…but no, she thought fiercely, that’s not what she wanted! She returned to her bedroom, but instead of lying down she began searching through her dresser drawers, looking for an item that she had purchased on a whim—and on sale—some time before but had never worn.

Elena was back in the living room a few minutes later, trying to decide how best to wake Walter up. She had heard that it could be risky to suddenly wake someone who was a trained fighter like Walter, so she was unsure how to proceed. She didn’t think he’d hit her or anything of that sort, but it would definitely not set the tone she was aiming for if he did. Finally, she leaned over the back of the couch and shook his arm while calling his name, feeling just a bit regretful as she did so—he looked so peaceful.

Walter did not strike out at her, but he did wake and sit up abruptly, exclaiming, “Elena! Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Walter,” she said reassuringly, patting his shoulder. “Sorry to wake you, but I had a bad dream and I wanted to talk to you.”

“Of course, my dear,” he told her with a smile, “please, join me.” He moved to allow her room on the couch, and when she sat next to him he put a blanket-draped arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Elena noticed immediately that instead of the jeans and t-shirt he had been wearing earlier he was now only dressed in a pair of odd-looking canvas pants with a drawstring waist that reached just below his knees. Being held against his bare chest made it extremely difficult to think of anything other than how much she’d like to kiss him and…other things. She sternly told herself that if they ever went to the beach together he’d most likely be wearing even less than this; it was surprisingly unhelpful.

Walter kissed her on the forehead, “So, tell me about your dream, Elena.”

She sighed, “It was about what you’d expect. I was in this crazy office building filled with Tsoo, and I was trying to keep them from catching me. I knew you were there somewhere, but I couldn’t find you. Just as they were about to catch me I woke in a fright.” She smiled up at him, “It helped a lot knowing you were here.”

“Am I very glad to be here, then,” he told her, and his arms tightened around her.

Elena met his eyes, “Walter, how did I get to bed? I don’t remember anything about it.”

“Oh, I carried you,” he told her with a smile. “You fell asleep toward the end of the movie and there seemed to be no reason to wake you.”

“Damn it, I was afraid of that!” She exclaimed. Walter looked a little concerned at her reaction, so she reddened and explained, “They do that in the movies sometimes, and I’ve always wondered what it would be like. I’m sorry I missed it.”

Walter snorted in amusement, “Another time, perhaps.”

After a moment she raised an eyebrow inquiringly, “So, Walter, I have to ask, what are you wearing? I think your pants have shrunk.”

Walter chuckled, “Actually, this is how they are supposed to fit. They are the pants from my gi, my practice uniform for martial arts. I chose them because they are more comfortable to sleep in than jeans and I felt they provided adequate…coverage for this purpose,” he added in a tone of dry amusement.

“You do martial arts?” Elena asked in surprise. “Oh, never mind, of course you do,” she said, shaking her head. “Do all superheroes spend as much time as you do staying in shape?”

Walter shrugged, “Some do. But for many, their effectiveness as heroes is not as dependent on being physically strong and fit as is the case for me. For instance, I doubt Charlotte Castere, the magic user you met yesterday, spends much time at the gym. Her skills require a different sort of preparation.”

“That makes sense,” Elena replied.

“Elena,” Walter continued, watching her intently; his eyes had never seemed so blue. “It has not escaped my attention that you have also changed your attire since earlier tonight.” After a moment’s hesitation, he gently laid a hand along her jaw and trailed it down her neck to her shoulder, now bare except for the narrow strap of her negligee. “You look…beautiful,” he said with a quick intake of breath, “and very desirable. But if you are sending me a message, I want to make certain I do not mistake its meaning, or read more into it than I should.”

She smiled up at him, her heart racing; maybe this would be easier than she had thought it might be. “Remember earlier today, when we had our little...talk, after the fight? What you said to me just before everyone came in?”

“When I told you I loved you?” Walter chuckled, “Aye, I am not likely to forget that.”

“That makes two of us,” she said dryly. She took one of his hands in both of hers, “I know it sounds crazy; it’s been less than a week than our first date…”

“A very eventful week,” Walter interjected with a wry smile.

“That’s an understatement!” Elena laughed. She reached up and gently touched his face, “But part of my message is that I…I love you too, Walter. I think that’s one of the reasons why it hit me so hard when I found out about Watcher’s Hand—I cared so much already and wanted you to be the man I thought you were, so it really hurt when it seemed like you might not be.”

“Elena, my love,” he murmured, laying a hand on her cheek and pulling her toward him for a long, slow kiss that left her breathless.

When he released her and her breath and her wits had returned, she laid her head against his chest with a sigh. “Walter,” she said after a moment, still a little nervous, “the other part of my message is that you don’t have to sleep on the couch if you don’t want to. I wouldn’t mind some…company.” Walter seemed to stop breathing entirely and she sneaked a look, hoping she hadn’t offended him. He was staring at her with an expression on his face she’d never seen before, so she added hastily, “Of course, if it’s not against your rules or anything.”

His face lightened immediately, and his chest rumbled against her cheek with suppressed laughter. He lifted one eyebrow, eyes sparkling with amusement, “Elena, I can assure you that my ‘rules’ do not forbid me accepting the invitation of a beautiful woman that I also happen to love.” He sobered and added, “But in all seriousness, I am well aware that modern mores are quite different from what I was taught, and I consider that no bad thing. However, I do want to be certain that you are not offering out of a sense of obligation or some other motive rather than your own desires.”

She rolled her eyes, “Walter, is it that hard to believe that I want you for you?”

“I suppose not,” he admitted with a sheepish smile. “And even though I am probably more cautious than most when it comes to such matters, am I not so great a fool as to refuse something that I desire so much myself.”

“Oh, good,” Elena smiled, “I was beginning to wonder.” She leaned over to kiss him and ran one hand down his bare chest.

Walter shivered and caught her hand, “I also know that you should not be doing that unless you mean it.”

“How fortunate that I do mean it, then,” she purred and moved to kiss him again. But before she could, he caught her in his arms and stood, carrying her toward the bedroom.

“I may not be able to make all your wishes come true, my love,” he told her, his voice rough with emotion, “but this seems a good place to start.”

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to make you late for work! I'll try to time the next chapter more conveniently.

Glad you're still enjoying the story!

Thanks so much!

In a word, yes.

I plan to post it in the next day or two.

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Chapter 12

Lieutenant Robbins sighed as he pulled up another document from the file. As satisfying as it was to close a case, getting it ready to turn over to the prosecutor was often tedious, to say the least. It was certainly true with the Tsoo murder and kidnapping—there were a large number of witness statements and interrogation reports to review.

Most of the Tsoo—including their leader—had shut up and lawyered up immediately, but a few had made statements to investigators. The current report was one of them; the interrogation had been assigned to one of his detectives so Robbins had not yet seen it. He scanned through the report, expecting no surprises. Toward the last part of the document, something caught his eye and he paused to read more closely. It described the very end of the battle, and mentioned a man fighting Swift Viper, the Tsoo leader.

“A man in armor with a mace,” Robbins muttered to himself, “that’s new.”

Robbins reviewed the list of heroes known to have been present; only one was a man, and it was the crazy bald guy with the swords. None of the other reports mentioned a man in armor, and it seemed like a very odd thing for one perp to invent if the man wasn’t really there.

“Huh,” Robbins sat back in his chair and considered the possibilities. After a moment he pulled up the record of known hero associates for the capes who were on the scene. And there it was, right at the top of the list for both Blue Tabby and Silverslash, a hero named Watcher’s Hand who fit the description to a ‘T’.

The name seemed vaguely familiar to him, but he couldn’t recall why. He opened the file on Watcher’s Hand and let out a low whistle—the man in question was a very high-level hero with a long list of accomplishments and commendations. But when the photo finally loaded, Robbins stared for a moment in puzzlement; the face seemed familiar as well.

Realization hit him, “Oh, no way,” he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. Just to be certain, he brought up another photo, this one from the DMV database. It was a lousy picture as always, but the similarities were unmistakable. After twenty years as a cop, Robbins was very skeptical about coincidences, and he doubted very much this was one. Besides, it explained a number of things, including why Halstrom seemed so unconcerned about being attacked by the Tsoo, and why none of the other heroes had mentioned an armored man at the scene. “The Tsoo sure picked on the wrong damn shopkeeper,” he chuckled dryly.

Robbin’s found Halstrom’s business card in the case file and dialed the number. It was answered on the second ring.

“Halstrom.”

“It’s Lieutenant Robbins, Mr. Halstrom. How is Ms. Samuelson doing?” he asked.

“She’s had a few nightmares, but other than that, there seem to be no ill effects from her ordeal. And you? I hope the case is going well,” Halstrom inquired genially.

“Well enough,” he said neutrally, “we hope to hand it off to the prosecutor soon. But that’s what I was calling about, Halstrom, a question has come up from one the interrogation reports.”

“I’ll help in any way I can, of course, Lieutenant,” Halstrom said earnestly. “I want the prosecution to be successful.”

“Well, here’s the problem; one of the Tsoo made a statement that he saw another hero during the fight, and described him as a tall, dark-haired man wearing armor and carrying a mace. Funny thing is, none of the other heroes mentioned that he was there. Preliminary ID is that it’s a cape named Watcher’s Hand. I just wondered if you know him, and whether you’d be able to get in touch with him in case we need him to make a statement or testify at trial.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, then what sounded like a resigned sigh. “I…see. Well, Lieutenant,” Halstrom said cautiously, “I do know him and believe he could be reached if necessary. However, the situation is an unusual one and the logistics of having him testify at trial might be…complicated. I think he would prefer to avoid that if possible.”

“I understand that I’ve put you in a very difficult situation, Mr. Halstrom,” Robbins told him, hoping that his tone conveyed just how much he did understand. “I believe we will have enough evidence without his testimony, but ultimately it’ll be up to the ADA in charge of the case to decide whether it’s necessary or not. I just want to make sure he’ll be available if we need him.”

“Have no doubt of that, Lieutenant, he will be there be if it is required for a conviction,” Halstrom said firmly.

“Good to hear. And if it’s any consolation, one thing we’ve had plenty of experience with in this town is taking testimony from superheroes. We know that sometimes there are…special accommodations that have to be made.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant; I appreciate your candor and your understanding. I am…in your debt.”

Robbins didn’t think it was his imagination that Halstrom had emphasized his last statement a little more than was strictly necessary. “No problem, Halstrom. We’ll be in touch if we need to contact your friend with the mace. Be sure to give my best to that pretty lady of yours as well.”

“I will be happy to do so, Lieutenant, goodbye.”

Robbins chuckled to himself as he tucked Halstrom’s card safely into his Rolodex. There were a lot worse things to have in Paragon than a superhero who owed you a favor.




After several years of working the reception desk at the Cyrus Thompson Community Center, Joan had become a practiced judge of those entering her domain. Situated as it was in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Paragon City, visitors tended to be their down-on-their-luck clientele or fellow bureaucrats from other departments, with an occasional cop or lawyer thrown into the mix.

She glanced up as the door opened and her eyes widened in surprise, not at all certain how to place the man who had just entered. She would have guessed an attorney, but his suit was finely tailored and expensive looking, most likely out of reach of the lawyers that represented their clients. But what made him stand out most of all was the large arrangement of exotic flowers he was carrying.

Joan watched him covertly as he approached her desk, trying not to make her curiosity too obvious. She might be a grandmother several times over, but it also did not escape her attention that the mystery man was very easy on the eyes.

His eyes flicked to the name plaque on her desk and he smiled in greeting, holding out his hand to her, “Good afternoon, Ms. Fleming, it is a pleasure to meet you.” On reflex, Joan stood and shook his hand, trying to recall the last time a visitor noticed that she had a name. Standing also brought home just how big the man was, both in height and breadth of shoulder; her hand seemed tiny in his. “My name is Walter Halstrom,” he continued after a moment, “I’m here to see Elena Samuelson. I believe she is expecting me.”

He wanted to see Elena! That, in combination with the beautiful bouquet jogged her memory. This must be Elena’s new boyfriend, who had sent the flowers last week. She felt a surge of excitement; speculation had been rampant about him since then, which Elena’s strange absence a few days later had only served to fuel. Elena had a private meeting with the Center’s director when she returned, and although neither of them had said a thing about it since then, it was clear that Elena had not been reprimanded for missing work. Although there was no actual evidence that Mister Tall, Dark and Courteous had anything to do with her absence, lack of information had never been an impediment to creative theorizing before.

“Elena is with a client at the moment, Mr. Halstrom,” she told him. “It may be a few minutes, would you care to wait?”

He smiled affably, “I would be glad to.”

Once he had seated himself in a visitor’s chair, Joan found a likely-looking folder on her desk to serve as a plausible reason for leaving, murmured, “Excuse me,” and hurried to the staff room where people were already gathering for lunch. “Elena’s new boyfriend is in the waiting room!” she reported animatedly to the assembled group.

There were murmurs of excitement and questions as she expected, the first of which was from Melissa Otero, Elena’s best friend at the Center. “Oh, that’s right!” she exclaimed, “Elena said he was going to take her to lunch this week. What does he look like?” she asked eagerly. “Elena made him sound like a real hottie.”

“I’m not sure about that,” Joan answered primly, hesitant to use a description that sounded so…vulgar. “But he is quite handsome, and very well-dressed and polite as well.” Unbending a bit, she added, “And you should see the pair of shoulders on him,” fanning herself for emphasis.

This started a near stampede toward the door; alarmed, Joan called, “Wait, don’t all go out there at once! You can’t just stand around the lobby staring at him; you’ll frighten the poor man to death! Wait until I bring him back to Elena’s office, or just come one or two at a time and don’t stay long.” She returned to her desk, shaking her head in exasperation.

Mr. Halstrom was sitting where she had left him, reading a magazine with no sign of impatience. It wasn’t long, however, before curiosity got the best of her co-workers and they began to trickle into the waiting area with various flimsy excuses for why they were there. He handled these visitations serenely, though she thought she noticed a fleeting smile and an amused gleam in his eyes after one particular noisy and obvious inspection tour.

During a lull in drop-bys of inquisitive co-workers, another visitor entered the center, and this one set off immediate alarm bells for Joan. It was young man, roughly dressed, his arms covered in tattoos. That in itself was not enough to worry her given that most of their clients were poor; but the tattoos looked similar to those she had seen on gang members in various part of the city.

He sauntered up to the desk and glowered at Joan, “Someone told me that my girlfriend, Courtney Jenkins, came in here last week and I haven’t seen her since. I need to talk to someone who can tell me where she is.”

Joan’s heart sank, she recalled the young woman vividly; she had come in hysterical and covered in bruises. She wasn’t sure how her case had been resolved, but telling this fellow her current location was almost certainly a very bad idea.

“I’m sorry,” she said pleasantly, “but due to privacy concerns we cannot give out information on our clients.”

His eyes narrowed, “Someone here has to know, ‘cause someone convinced her to run off, otherwise she’d be back by now. That’s the busybody I want to have a little chat with.”

Oh dear, Joan thought, this fellow did not seem the sort to give up easily. “I’m afraid that is also not permitted, sir. If you’d care to leave your name, I can pass on the information that you stopped by if Ms. Jenkins is one of our clients.”

He leaned over her desk and glared at her threateningly, “No I wouldn’t ‘care to leave a name’,” he repeated in a mocking voice, “but maybe I’ll just hang around and personally talk to all your little do-gooders as they leave; I’m sure to find the right one sooner or later.”

She searched her mind frantically, wishing she could call the police but aware that it was very unlikely he would allow her to do so. There had been talk about installing a panic button for situations such as these, but with the recent budget cuts it had never happened. Perhaps if she made an excuse he’d let her go long enough to alert one of her co-workers…

A new voice spoke, “That would be…ill-advised.”

She looked up, surprised, to see Elena’s friend, Mr. Halstrom, standing behind the young man at her desk. In contrast to his earlier friendliness, now his face was grim and set. He met Joan’s eyes over the head of man in front of him and nodded toward the door that led toward the other offices.

At that moment the young man turned toward Mr. Halstrom, speaking angrily as he did so, “Who the hell are you to tell me what…” He stopped abruptly, taking in the older man’s size and the expression on his face, which was hard, cold and not at all afraid.

Mr. Halstrom was much taller than the other man and had to lean forward slightly to meet his eyes, “The lady has told you all she can. You may leave your name as she suggested before you go, but you will go.”

Joan didn’t wait to hear the young man’s blustering reply, having taken the opportunity to bolt toward the rest of the offices while his attention was diverted. She stopped at the first desk she came to and said shakily, “Oh my God, there’s a crazy gang-banger in the lobby!”

“There is? Do you want me to call the police?” her co-worker asked worriedly.

“I…I think Elena’s boyfriend is getting rid of him, so hopefully he’ll be gone soon.” she replied breathlessly. “You should have seen Mr. Halstrom,” Joan continued, shaking her head in admiration, “he wasn’t the least bit scared. But we’d better go check on him to be sure he’s all right.”

They returned to the reception area accompanied by a number of other Center employees that had heard the commotion, but to their surprise it was empty except for the flower arrangement that Mr. Halstrom had left on his chair. A moment later Halstrom came through the front door, looking unperturbed.

“Mr. Halstrom,” Joan cried, “is everything all right? Are you all right?”

“Fine, just fine,” he smiled, “I was just seeing our…visitor on his way.”

“Do you think he’ll come back, or wait outside the building?” she asked anxiously.

“I don’t think he’ll risk waiting, he and I had a little chat about the fact that this is well outside Hellion territory and that it would not be wise for him to linger here.” He frowned, “But I would recommend filing a police report on the off chance he is more courageous than he appears.”

“Yes, definitely, that’s Center policy anyway.” Joan told him. “But thank you so much for your help, you were so brave!”

Mr. Halstrom snorted and shook his head, “On the contrary, you had much more reason to be afraid of him than I did.”

Elena’s voice rose above the babble in the room, “What the heck is going on here?” She was escorting her client to the door and walked into a baffling scene of the lobby filled with her co-workers and her boyfriend as the center of attention. There was a barrage of explanations and the crowd parted for her; by the time she reached Mr. Halstrom she seemed to have the gist of what had happened.

He had hastily retrieved the flower arrangement and had it ready for Elena, presenting it with chagrined expression that did not conceal the look of deep affection he gave her. He kissed her cheek and murmured, “My apologies, Elena, there were…complications.”

She shook her head in exasperation and smiled wryly at him, her eyes glinting with amusement, “Walter, I leave you alone for five minutes…”

He cleared his throat and replied, “In my defense, I’d say it was fifteen minutes, if not more.”

He glanced at Joan in a silent plea for support; charmed to be included, she chimed in, “Twenty minutes, at least!”

“Well, I suppose we can talk later about your pathological need to be helpful,” Elena responded, pursing her lips on a smile.

He arched an eyebrow at her, “One in your profession can hardly complain too much about that, Elena.”

“Hmm, I suppose not,” she admitted with seeming reluctance. “So, are we still going to lunch, or are you waiting for another villain to show up?”

“Lunch. Definitely lunch,” Mr. Halstrom told her firmly. “Any villains will have to keep until after we’ve eaten.”

Elena’s friend Melissa had somehow managed to be included in the lunch invitation, and the three of them headed for the door. Suddenly, Mr. Halstrom stopped and said something in an undertone to Elena. When she smiled and nodded, he pulled a single large bloom from her bouquet.

In the next moment he was in front of Joan’s desk, laying the flower on her desk pad. He leaned across the desk to kiss Joan’s cheek and smiled warmly, murmuring, “For bravery,” before turning and rejoining the two women.





That evening, Walter and Elena were enjoying each other’s company and laughing over the events of the day.

“I can’t believe how Melissa went on about how much she loves your name!” Elena told him, shaking her head in exasperation. “What a hypocrite! After she gave me so much grief about how ‘Walter’ is a nerdy name.” She flushed, adding hastily, “Err, no offense.”

Walter sighed, “None taken; believe me, I am accustomed to it by now.”

“Who gave you that name, anyway? Didn’t you say that you don’t know your birth name?”

“That’s correct; the orphanage had no record of my parents’ names, let alone what name they chose for me. As for why I’m Walter Halstrom, I’m afraid I have only myself to blame; I picked it myself when I was preparing to leave the Brothers and start my schooling.”

“Walter Halstrom—Watcher’s Hand… I guess that makes sense, it is close enough but not too close. And Walter really isn’t that bad, I think it’s starting to grow on me. You could have done worse; I think I would have had to draw the line at falling in love with someone named ‘Wilbur’, for instance,” she gave a mock shudder and smiled impishly at him.

“I’m glad then, that we are both spared that fate,” Walter told her, pulling her close.

After a moment she met his eyes, her face serious, “There’s something else I’ve been meaning to ask you about, but it’s kind of personal.”

“Ask away, my dear. There’s really nothing I need—or want—to keep from you.”

“It’s about…the Watcher,” Elena explained, feeling a little awkward. “You said the Brothers that raised you consider it to be their god, but that seems so…odd, that there would be a god that only a few people know about or believe in. You almost never talk about it, so I wondered whether you believe it yourself.”

Walter’s face was thoughtful, “That is a surprisingly difficult question to answer, Elena. In the Brothers’ cosmology, the Watcher is just one of many gods, and in that way very different than most beliefs in both Europe and America.” He snorted, “That is the primary reason I speak of it rarely, it is something few would understand.

“But since you asked whether I believe in the Watcher…in truth, yes I do. The gifts I receive that aid my efforts as Watcher’s Hand—healing, strength, and protection among them, are requested and granted to me in the Watcher’s name. I have asked myself more than once whether these…boons might simply be a form of magic such as any magic user might employ, but I can only say that it feels…different to me—it has a different flavor than other kinds of magic that I have experienced. But presuming he exists, whether the Watcher is one of a pantheon of gods or simply one aspect of a single all-powerful God—on that point I’m keeping an open mind.” He shook his head and smiled ruefully, “Have I even come close to answering your question?”

She leaned against him and gave him a fond smile, “It’s actually very comforting to hear that you still have so many questions, I always wonder about people who feel they have all the answers.”

He chuckled, “Little risk of that with me. Elena,” he continued after a moment, “it is something of a wonder to me that you seem to be so unbothered by my unconventional upbringing and beliefs. Not everyone would be so accepting.”

She shrugged, “Once I got over the shock that there was a Watcher’s Hand, the rest just seemed to…fit. It seems right, somehow, like being with you seems right.” Elena reddened, hoping she had not said too much.

Walter’s arms tightened around her and he met her eyes, “My love, being with you has seemed right to me since the day we met. No one has touched my heart the way you have.”

Elena sighed with happiness and snuggled against him, but after a moment sat bolt upgright, a dismayed look on her face, “Damn it, I just remembered that I owe Rachel a phone call. “

“Is that a problem, Elena?” Walter asked in surprise.

She gave him a wry smile, “No, it’s just that…after asking her so many times to stop trying to manage my love life, I am never going to hear the end of it that she was right about you!” She touched his cheek, “But I suppose that’s a small price to pay for being so happy.”

Elena kept her other thought to herself; that maybe, just maybe, Rachel would get her wish to dance at their wedding.

The End

Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. And yes, Walter forgot to read the fine print, but it turned out all right in the end.

Thanks for reading and commenting!

Thanks so much! I must admit, Walter might be a *tiny* bit...idealized, but what can you do?

I'm so glad you enjoyed the story and the characters, it's really great to have faithful reader/commenters!