CHAPTER ONE

DESPERATION

"Cookie?"

"Shhh, be good." Carter wrapped the leash several times around his wrist, keeping his companion close as he turned and partially closed the window behind them. This was stupid. This was beyond stupid. This was bordering on suicidal.

Breaking into a hero's hotel room was bad enough. However, this particular hotel room belonged to Fortress, the legendary greatest hero of the previous generation, make that two generations...if Carter had any other choice...but he didn't. If this didn't work…

The woman crouched next to him bumped his leg, picking up on his unease. Dropping his hand down, he stroked the hair along the top of her head in a comforting gesture as he refocused on the task at hand.

Making sure not to lock the window, though sliding it close enough to the edge to appear closed, Carter turned and studied the room. Where to start? The bathroom would probably be best. It was the most likely to have personal objects, specifically objects handled by Fortress as he prepared for the award banquet going on in the big conference room downstairs.

Wrapping the leash around his wrist a few times for better control, he prowled toward the dark bathroom door. His companion, LIE padded along beside him in her odd gait, moving on the pads of her fingers and balls of her feet. Once they were inside the pitch dark tiled room, Carter carefully closed the door behind them to hide the light from the small flashlight he retrieved from one of his many belt pouches. It had been modified to glow a dull blue, enough light to see by, not enough to blind his darkness accustomed vision.

LIE whined and balanced back on her heels, hands coming up to cover her overly sensitive eyes. Carter lay a comforting hand on her head, "Sorry, should have warned you." He reached into another pocket and pulled out a flat stuffed skunk that crinkled a bit as he grabbed it. Holding the dog toy up, he snapped his fingers to get her attention. "Be good. Don't try to leave the room. Play with this while I read and you get a cookie. Understand."

She nodded. "Play here. Get cookie."

"Don't leave the room." He handed her the dog toy and adjusted the leash that led down to the heavy collar around her neck giving her enough slack to play in the small room before wrapping it several times around his wrist before slipping his fingers through the loop on the end. Despite her agreement, he had to make sure she didn't 'forget' and go wandering while he was reading the hero's possessions.

Taking a deep breath, he picked up Fortress' hairbrush, searching for the moments when Fortress was preparing for the banquet downstairs.

An older man who looked much younger than his century long years stared back from the mirror, musing as he brushed the hair to lay neatly over the dark blue mask obscuring his features. This was really so pointless. An award? What did he need with an award? It was just something else to hide like his costume and his home. Did they really think he had some 'Secret Sanctum' where he kept mementos of all his previous adventures...well, to be fair, he kind of did but still. Oh well, it would make the mayor and news and public happy enough that they would stop bothering him about giving him 'recognition'. At least he had avoided the parade this time unlike back in the 60's when they just would not take no for an answer. Hopefully this award ceremony would be enough to buy him a decade of peace from…

The memory disappeared as the hero had moved on to other grooming activities. Carter replaced the brush, making sure to place it exactly as he had found it. Even if tonight went well, he doubted the hero would be happy if he knew someone had gone through his stuff. Still, Carter had to know if Fortress was the selfless hero he seemed to be or a hypocrite glory hound.

He looked down, checking on LIE before proceeding. She was currently chewing on the skunk's side, smiling as the toy made crinkling sounds. Her eyes were still blue, skin still light peach and hair still blonde. Good, still safe. Carter proceeded to pick up the razor, sending his senses searching for Fortress' thoughts while shaving.

Sliding the razor over his face, Fortress was, once again, amused by the strangeness of being enhanced. His skin couldn't be cut by diamond edge blades or lasers but his beard and hair were easily removed with cheap razors and clippers. Strange but made his life easier. If the hair had been as impenetrable as his skin...well a secret identity would have been completely out of the question at that point...not that it was easy to maintain anymore. Looking 40 when you had passed the century mark made living a normal life for very long impossible. Still, Fortress wouldn't complain. His abilities had allowed him to save thousands, to stop evil, to stop disaster. What was the discomfort of rebuilding a new life every decade or so compared to the good he had been able to do in the world. Still, the logistics of living a double life could be annoying. Like today. Instead of simply leaving his house, catching a cab, sitting through the banquet and going home to his comfortable bed, he had to jump through all these hoops. The hotel room had had to be carefully arranged through the Paragon Program so that it couldn't be traced back to his 'civilian' identity. He had to change at the program's headquarters before coming here so no one could back track him to his house. He would have to be as careful leaving tomorrow since he had many enemies that would love to show up tonight and follow him home where he would be more vulnerable, where they might find more specific hostages than the average stranger on the street. It was so stupid having to stay here to protect his identity but...the other choice was to risk his neighbors. Usually, a hero's unpredictable comings and goings protected them from discovery but, thanks to the news, everyone knew he would be here tonight. He should probably avoid going home at all for several days just to be sure no one was using this spectacle as a way to find…

Carter surfaced, fingers twitching slightly as the Fortress of memory put down the razor.

So, the big hero was as goody goody inside as he was in the reports. This might work. This had to work. There were no more options, not with an eviction notice on his door, less than a week's worth of LIE's sedatives and no money to fix either issue.

So, nothing else to do but wait for Fortress to finish up and come back...and clean up the shaving cream that LIE was currently spreading across the floor. Carter closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he found the scene had not changed. LIE looked up at him, the dog toy hanging from her mouth, fingers covered in shaving cream, the possibly empty can discarded to the side.

"LIE, I told you to be good!"

She tilted her head, eyes widening, "LIE good. LIE stay here. Cookie?"

"I told you to play with the toy not the things on the cabinet. They are not yours."

LIE peered over the edge. "Not Carter's. Carter play."

"I wasn't-" He stopped and rubbed his forehead. She didn't understand. She wasn't being rebellious. She just didn't understand and she couldn't until she was taught and he couldn't teach her while he was too broke to even buy dinner...this had to work. "OK, fine, let's get cleaned up and wait in the other room." Hopefully, Fortress wouldn't spend all night shaking hands.