A girl no more than 17 years old sits outside in the cold night air, with only a large oversized wool sweeter to keep the cold away, her eyes red from weeping.
"Why did I get stuck with this!!" Marcy cries, as she sends a stream of ice from her hand and it shatters a nearby park bench.
"Hey, careful with that, why aren't you at home, I bet your mother really misses you" a small framed woman with dark hair says
"I don't have a home, and as for my mom missing me, she could care less, she dumped me in a gutter and left me to freeze, and it's like you care anyways" Marcy says acidly as an old man steps out of a near by car
"We do care. My name is Broom, Professor Trevor Broom and this is Liz Sherman and we've been looking for you Miss Hopkins, we're from the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense and we've come to ask you to join us" Pr. Broom says
"Why?" Marcy asks scowling
"You have a gift" Liz says calmly
"This isn't a gift, you wack job!!!, because of this, my life isn't worth jack shit!" Marcy yells getting up from the bench
"That's what I thought before the Professor brought me to the Bureau, I was your age then, and I learned to accept my gift, it came at a cost though, I left many times before staying for good, and since then I've learned to do much more than I could have on my own" Liz explains walking over to her
"What gift could you possibly have that's like mine" Marcy whispers looking up at her as Liz takes her gloves off and ignites her hand then puts the flames out
"Cool" Marcy whispers
2 weeks later at St. Brian's Institution For Troubled Children a man greets Pr.Broom and Liz as they walk in
"Professor Broom, Miss. Sherman, good to see you again, how was your trip" Dr.Jackson asks
"Fine, thank you, now if we could see this young girl, please" the Professor asks
"Of course, right this way" he says as they start down the hall when a woman comes storming down the hall
"I've had it with that little monster!!" she shouts pushing a clip board roughly into his hands "you two must be here for Irma, thank God and good luck you're going to need it with that little imp!"
"Oh no, stay here, she's angry and she can be a real wild cat when she's angry" Dr.Jackson says gravely
"I'd prefer to speak with her as she is, Dr.Jackson" Professor Broom says
"Please tell me you're joking Pr.Broom" Dr.Jackson says
"I never joke Dr. Jackson" Pr.Broom says
"All right" Dr.Jackson says he brings them down a long hallway to a large metal door with the words "Danger Use Extreme Caution When Entering" and opens it books and papers and pop bottles are littered around the floor a girl sits curled up on a bed in the corner reading.
"Hey, Jack-off-son, it's called knocking try it some time" Irma says scowling at him then going back to her book.
"Irma, this is Professor Trevor Broom and Liz Sherman they'd like to speak with you" Dr.Jackson says ignoring her comment
"So, you're the latest to be conned into taking me, you're gonna be sorry, they're all sorry" Irma says looking at them
The next day both girls sat in the front room, Marcy sat against the thick glass of Abe's tank reading a book as Abe floated close to the glass of his tank looking over her shoulder intently and Irma sat slumped in another arm chair her dark eyes fixed grimly on the fire burning in the fireplace, Hellboy, Liz, the professor and three other agents come in.
"Girls come here for a second, there's some things we need to discuss" Liz says pulling out a chair and sitting at a table.
"Here it comes ..... 'we don't want you get out now!' ... that's how it always is" Irma grumbles still staring at the fire.
"Shut up kid" Hellboy retorts
"Kiss my ass!" Irma replies curtly
"Keep it up kid and I'm gonna ...." Hellboy starts saying when Irma interupts
Your threats mean nothing to me demon they hardly even phase me"
Hellboy takes a step towards her, she stands up her face showing the same grim expression.
"That's enough, the both of you, now we've asked you here to discuss your schedules now you will continue your studies History English Math and the like from eight in the morning to one in the afternoon, now you will be taught to defend yourselves, loading and using a firearm-" the Professor starts when Irma cuts in
"When do we start that part of the training?"
"Ok I strongly suggest NOT giving this kid a gun" Hellboy says
"As I was saying, you will both be assigned an agent" the professor continues
"Great, a baby sitter, just great, I don't need any agent looking after me and breathing down my neck every time I do something" Irma said sourly
"Kid's got a point, she doesn't need an agent, she needs a muzzle" Hellboy grunts
"the agent that you are assigned will be your partner" the professor continues "they will assist in your training and your studies twice a week you each will be working one on one with Abe on meditation, Liz on control of your powers and be taken on routine missions with Hellboy and-" he stops short and looks at Irma who has formed a small ball of flames and is balancing it on the tip of her finger
"you will obey every agent in this building as you would me, have I made myself clear, Irma" he finnishes Irma looks up at him gives a sarcastic salute
"keep Major Stupidity away from me and you got yourself a deal" Irma says
later that evening Liz talking with Hellboy
"quiet a spirited pair don't you think Red" Liz asks
"yeah, they're something all right" he answers
"Blue and Marcy I think are gonna be the best of friends they're so much alike" Liz says with a laugh
"yeah she loves books" he answers lighting a cigar stump
"and Irma-" Liz starts
"is a little monster" he finnishes the sentence
"Red, she's been through a lot, she's got a lot of breathing problems" Liz says looking at him
"asthma?" he asks
"don't know, she's going to the med lab for tests tomorrow" Liz answers
Dreams
a girl walks down a dim corridore lit by dozens of candles in sconces the light reflects off the stained glass windows she aproaches an old man hunched over
"it's getting late, they're waiting for us" the girl says
"it is late isn't it" the old man asks turning to the girl
"it is yes" the girl answers
"then we should head home now" the man says getting up slowly
"I brought your scarf and hat from the car" the girl says giving him the bundle
"thank you my dear, well off we go then" the old man says putting his coat on then his scarf but waits until he's outside to put his hat on
Liz jolts awake
"Liz ... you ok" Hellboy asks with a yawn
"the professor I saw the professor and one of the girls was with him they were in a church, they were leaving
Testing Terrors
a screech cuts through the hall Liz dashes to the med lab just as Irma runs out
"NO!!! no not again!! NO!! I WON'T LET YOU!!!" Irma cries running to Liz
"Irma what-" Liz starts to say
"no more testing please Liz don't let them" she whimpers as a man comes out of the lab
"miss would you please come back in here so we can proceed with the tests" he asks
"no!" Irma cries
"Irma, what's wrong" Liz asks putting an arm around her
"ever since I was little it's been nothing but tests, IV's, and needles it hurts" she whimpers
"how old were you when you started having tests done, Irma" Liz asks
"when I was about eight, eight and a half" she replies "about nine years"
a woman comes out of the lab
"damn it Jordenson, I told you to ... " she starts shouting but stops short when she sees Liz
"Irma this is a friend of mine, Dr.Kate Benton she's really very gentle" Liz says gently
"how do you know" Irma asks
"because she's my docter" Liz answers
"c-can she be my docter instead of him" Irma asks
"if it's ok with her" Liz says looking at Kate
"of course you can, so what do you say we give it one more try" Kate asks
"only if Liz stays with me I-I don't like being alone during tests" Irma says
"sure" Liz says and follows Kate and Irma back into the lab