“Remember to keep your knees together when you sit down,” the old lady reminded me while we were waiting to see the headmaster of Providence Meadows for the fourth time at 7:30 am. I wasn’t really in the mood to respond vocally, so I simply gave the old lady a look that translated into ‘yeah, I get it now, stop reminding me.’ But I still kept forgetting. My opinion of the skirt had changed a bit, a feeling I didn’t know how to describe, but I still felt exposed wearing it.

Lacey was asked to come down to Harrisonburg to hang out with Bug for the day at 9 pm the night before by her grandmother. That request sparked a stern talk about why spending time with Bug was a very bad idea from her mother, directed at both her and her grandma. This stern talk turned into an argument between her and her mother which then led to an argument between her mom and her dad. Lacey could hear the argument, as her parents made no attempt to keep it quiet. Her father was for Lacey going to Harrisonburg to spend time with Bug, whereas her mother was completely against it.

I was the happiest I had been since I first woke up on Frank’s farm. I wasn’t skipping around; rather, I was running as fast as I could. After my little fall, I made my way down the street that the old lady lived on to a secondary road that ran parallel to the main highway. The highway had a good amount of traffic on it, but the secondary road was deserted. As a bonus, the road stretched as a far as I could see, a good three or four miles. Plenty of room to fully stretch my legs.

A week and a half later, I was still deeply bothered by Lacey’s revelation about my mind being sealed off. While I had gotten my mind reading somewhat under control, I still hadn’t gotten my emotions under control. And being stuck in this godforsaken tiny house didn’t help me. The old lady refused to let me leave the house. She herself didn’t even leave. Her neighbors brought her everything, or so she said. I never saw anybody enter the house and when I was allowed to walk into the backyard for fresh air, I never saw any neighbors.

“Name me one good reason why I would tell you anything?” I inquired.

“Well…” Reaching into her bag, the old lady pulled out something that was wrapped in tinfoil. “I’ve got a sandwich for you.”

I eyed the sandwich, my mouth watering. I hadn’t eaten for nearly twenty hours and I was really hungry. Scare the shit out of me, then give me food? Well… “Even if I don’t tell you anything, can I still have the sandwich?” A stupid question. A really, really stupid question.

After my body slamming experience, I was transported to a hospital. It was obvious that the police officers didn’t notice the bruises and scarring on my arms and neck moments after I walked onto the farm due to their reaction when they went to cuff me. They raised my hands to cuff them, my sleeves fell down a bit and the rest was history. Instead of a trip directly to the local jail in a cop car, I got to make a pit-stop at the hospital in an ambulance. The bad part about this was that it gave Frank a seemingly endless supply of ideas about who I could be. And it wasn’t good.

I woke with my arms shackled over my head to a large steel conductor. The weight of my body wrenched them down, and ached with every movement. Whatever Dr. Vortex had planned was going to be worse than the BDSM nightmare I found myself.

Through the uneven panels of corrugated iron I could make the slivers of his coat as he moved between workstations. He moved in slow motion as though trudging through a swamp; or maybe it was the haze looming from above.

Nina Martinez has spent the last three years, living with the horrific consequences of a severe burnout. But now, she is offered a possible cure, one that will lead her into a world of heroes and villains.

http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php

Nina Martinez has spent the last three years, living with the horrific consequences of a severe burnout. But now, she is offered a possible cure, one that will lead her into a world of heroes and villains.

http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php

Part Eighteen

"I'm not sure how seriously to take this," said Special Agent Sanders, concerned. "Either this guy is a raving lunatic, completely divorced from reality or he's the secret power behind one of the nation's major political parties! As well as at least two of its biggest political scandals!"

"Who says he can't be both?" said Special Agent Thompson, sourly. "Or that he's the only one? In either party?"

"Please leave your cynicism outside the office," said Special Agent in Charge Covington. "Focus on what we know about this case."

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Sixteen

The caller ID told me who was behind the ring. I sighed, considered not answering, then sighed again and picked up the receiver.

"I assume you're not calling about the latest political mess," I said. I was glad Sievers was safe, and feeling rather afraid about what those who had ordered her seized might do next. However, Fen would say that was all fugitive and outside our mission purview, and we needed to focus on our own, longer-term tasks.

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Fourteen

"So that was a demon," said Vic, stunned. She shook her head.

"Surely you suspected this," said Sharma, puzzled.

"Well, yeah. Suspecting is different from knowing!"

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Thirteen

Early afternoon, in San Francisco. Among the people walking around the shops and stores of this downtown area were at least two who were much more than they seemed.

"Are you sure he wants a cell phone?" said Tiger, as he and Tal wandered around a shopping district.

I was under the weather Friday and rather sick Saturday. See the October 7 post at: https://stickmaker.dreamwidth.org/ for a brief account.

I'm feeling better today, and posting the next installment as scheduled.

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Eleven

"If our new facility hadn't been ready," said Dr. Nief, "the referring hospital would have treated him. I've spoken with the chief surgeon there and he admits they would not have taken the precautions we did."

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Nine

The election seemed to take many people by surprise. Indeed, some expressed disbelief that it was that time again, already, a few wondering aloud if the election was being held early due to the war. Once it was over, millions in the US saw the results on the news and screamed that no-one had told them there was an election, and they'd been cheated out of their chance to vote. This complaint was heard repeatedly during the holidays. Some even said this when they saw the inauguration...

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Eight

Energia had trouble flying at first. Then she got the idea of using her magnetic powers to anchor herself to the fixed pieces of metal all around. Once that was done she used a combination of her flight and magnetic powers to pull herself towards the fire station.

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Seven

After an hour of this, though, Blue Impact decided they had enough data.

"We have the location of the person most likely causing the disturbance isolated to within a few centimeters," she said. "The longer we wait the more damage the storm does."

"Yeah, it's definitely getting worse," said Gadgetive, with a quick check of satellite photos. Though just hearing and feeling
the wind and rain should have been enough.

Sometimes, a little kindness goes a long way.

Written with permission from Morpheus, this is a non-cannon fan fiction that takes place in his Legacy universe.

The final chapter.

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Three

We are the Defenders League. We fight to protect those who cannot fight to protect themselves and to stop criminal acts in progress.

We are nine in number. Four males, five females, with ages ranging from barely 20 to our eldest member's hale and healthy 91 years.

Six of us were born here in Canada, one is a dual citizen, Canada and UK, and the other two moved here and eventually became citizens.

We tend to work in two groups, which can be brought together when needed.

**********

This is finally finished. It came out a little shorter than originally planned at 51,800 words, but it's completed. I thought about making it longer but it ends at a good point and I didn't want to add padding. Hope you folks like it.

Masks XVIII

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part One

Silvio lives in a dystopian future.
Thirty years ago the supervillains have won and shaped this dreadful new reality he lives in.
But there is one hope for Silvio and others like him. The spark of the Phoenix.
A fragment of the soul of the last heroine to fall. Embrace it and one can gain her power and fight back.
When Silvio finds one he has to learn that the spark isn't what he had thought it was and that maybe his view on what makes a hero a hero was wrong too.

Old enemies have been faced and dealt with, but now, a new threat appears.

http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php

The beautiful, talented, and fabulous Imp is at it again, but can she see a future while the past is on her tail.

This is a non-tg story that takes place in the Whateley Universe.

http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php