Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental multi-fandom project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 26 August.
In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."
Disclaimer(s):
"The Shadow" belongs to Street and Smith Publications and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.
"The Phantom" was created by Lee Falk and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit, I believe current ownership rights rest with King Features Syndicate, but I'm not sure.
"The Green Hornet" is the creation of George Trendle and Fran Striker, I'm unsure who currently owns the rights to the character. Possibly Sony/Columbia since they made the 2011 Live Action film...
"Zorro" belongs to New World Entertainment and whomever else owns the rights to the concept and is used without permission or intent to profit. The 'Vicky Vega/Victoria de la Vega' version of the character, as previously appeared in my NW Zorro story "Five Greetings", is my own creation though.
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"Heroes United"
'Cobalt Couples'
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'
-o0O0o-
Diana Palmer had greeted Kit Walker with a smile and a warm embrace when he stepped off the Pan-Am Clipper, even if it had only been a matter of weeks since they had seen one another.
"Miss me?" Kit teased as they seperated.
"I could ask you the same question, Kit," Diana retorted.
"Horribly," he answered, "Guran complained that I was mooning around the place, completely inappropriate for... a man of my position."
"Well, there you go," Diana agreed, "But just missing me isn't why you came to New York, is it?"
"No, it's not," Kit conceded, "I'm... hoping to find somebody."
"Who?"
"I don't know yet," he admitted, "But I'll start to know more when I start seeing things."
"What 'things'?" Diana demanded.
"Rings, Diana," Kit told her, "I'm looking for people wearing a certain kind of ring..."
-o0o-
Lamont Cranston had been a member in good standing of the Cobalt Club for a dozen years, ever since his return from the Orient, as the former men's club had become the place to see and be seen for New York's wealthy and connected; socialites, millionaires, police commissioners, newspaper owners, officials in the city government, they all passed through the Cobalt Club at some point. It made the lounge the perfect place for The Shadow to keep his own ears and eyes open as good food, flowing wine and the attractive singers the Cobalt Club employed loosened many tongues. It was one of the reasons that Lamont Cranston had met his uncle there so many times during Wainwright Barth's time as Police Commissioner for the city of New York. It was the place where Lamont Cranston had first met Margo Lane and the place where they had enjoyed many evenings together afterwards over the last few years...
"If I told you to meet me at six-thirty," Margo remarked as Lamont sat down at the table across from her, "Do you think you could manage to make a seven o'clock reservation?"
"Have you ever tried to catch a cab in this city, Margo? It is murder," Lamont replied, emphasising the word murder as they both knew that Moe would and did drop any other fare he might have whenever Lamont called for him.
'Some of the groups from the west side are trying to move in on the Zapphros' old territory,' Lamont added telepathically.
"That bad is it?" Margo asked, the question having an intentional double-meaning.
"It was a fight," Lamont answered, his eyes telling the woman across from him just what kind of fight he meant.
"Well, I'm glad you got here safe, that's all that counts," Margo told him as she reached across the table and took his hand.
-o0o-
"You probably haven't seen anywhere as fancy as the Club in a few years, I suppose," Diana remarked as she watched Kit look around the Cobalt Club and take in the architecture and fashions.
"You'd be surprised," Kit answered, "I do have a few distant cousins whom I actually visit at times."
Diana blushed slightly at the reminder of some of the people that Kit could trace his family tree back through, "Sorry, I didn't mean that how it sounded."
"I know you didn't, Diana," Kit smiled reassuringly, "Most people have to have grown up there or lived there a few years before they understand how comfortable it really is, as simple as it is."
"I'm sure I'll love it there," Diana teased, only to frown when she noticed Kit wasn't paying her any attention, "Kit? Kit... Kit!"
Kit shook his head and looked away from the couple that he had been watching stand up and leave their table, "Diana, do you know who those two were?"
Diana's frown turned thoughtful as she tried to place the faces she had only caught a glimpse of, "...Those two? ...Cran... Cranston! Lamont Cranston,Uncle Dave introduced me to Lamont a few years ago, his uncle was the Police Commissioner before Jack Foley. And the woman is Margo Lane, her father is some kind of scientist if I remember right... Why do you ask, Kit?"
Kit looked at Diana and answered with complete seriousness, "The rings I'm here to find, Diana? They were each wearing one; silver rings with girasol stones."
Diana's gaze moved to the backs of the departing couple with new curiousity in her eyes.
