Warning: Mentions of explicit topics.
December 1st
Leni took another breath. That stage didn't look any less intimidating.
"I don't think I can do this," she said to herself.
"Don't worry," a friendly voice extended a hand onto her shoulder. "I'm going to be out there with you. And its my job to try and make you look good."
Holly gave her a kind smile. Hobbs introduced the two of them and, while she gave Hobbs plenty of grief, she's acted like Leni's best friend.
"Do you want to go over the script, again?"
"Sure," Leni agreed.
"Okay," Holly stepped back, energetic arms pushing out an imaginary stage before her. "I walk in, do my bit, do a little background, cheesy jokes-"
"They love the cheesy jokes, ma'am." An intern noted.
"A few video clips for excitement…" Holly continued, rubbing her palms together. "And then: May I introduce, the Amazing, the Intrepid, (no, that doesn't work) the Spectacular Sky Girl!"
"Right," Leni sighed again. "I… walk onto the stage."
"Smiling and waving," Holly reminded.
"Smiling and waving," Leni echoed.
"Having fun?" another voice added.
Leni turned to see Hobbs approach.
"Oh, hey Officer Hobbs."
"Hello, honey," Holly greeted. "Arresting or visiting?"
"Visiting," Hobbs stepped to the side, "And I thought your guest could use a friend."
A girl walked up and greeted Leni with a restrained and patient smile.
"My name's Tiffany," she shook the hero's hand. "I heard your family couldn't be here to support you."
Leni nodded. If she brought anyone here, it would provide possibly hundreds of people with a crucial clue to her identity. They were better off watching the program in the hospital with Lincoln. Though she couldn't explain that to her own nerves.
"I always wanted to be on TV," Leni shakily confessed. "And now that I'm here, I don't know what to do with myself."
"You'll do great," Tiffany encouraged. "Everyone already wants to know you. Just be yourself."
"Thanks."
Music played over the speakers.
"Oop!" Holly then mentioned. "Show's about to start. I'll give you a few seconds to prepare. Take a lot of deep breaths, dear. You'll do great!"
Leni's head started to spin. Before she knew it, she was walking on stage to a crowd of people. They showed clips of her battles with villains like Nox and King. Even her technically first televised debut with Dream Queen.
"And where is Dream Queen now?" Holly wondered. This was part of their script. This was part of the plan. "The other villains (God, I love saying that) have been captured, but we know a couple of them are missing."
Leni's face got sad. It wasn't an act.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know," she answered honestly. "Midori Summers was taken out of the city and away from her home by the government. I know she's, like, a villain, but she's also in a lot of pain. I don't think she was in her right mind when she attacked."
"So, the Event," Holly clarified, "the explosion that gave you, and others, their powers, affects their emotional state?"
"Yes."
"So what about you?" Holly followed the script. "Aren't you also effected by your powers?"
"I am," Leni agreed. "But, I'm lucky to have the support of so many people, helping me."
She paused, looking down for a moment. She returned her gaze to one of the cameras.
"I want everyone at home to know," Leni told the camera. "If you have powers, if you've been affected by the generator explosion in any way…"
Remember your words, Leni.
"You are not alone," Leni decided. "I will do everything I can to protect my home, but I can't do it all by myself. Several schools have offered their gymnasiums as "Exposed Generator Gathering Centers." They have staffs of volunteers at the ready to help you, including doctors."
"Yes," Holly agreed, "We've talked about the EGG Centers the other day. Is there anything else you would like to tell out audience? For the people at home?"
Leni nodded. She looked back at the camera.
"I wouldn't be doing this," she confessed. "If I didn't think there were good people out there watching this. You are not alone."
Leni's head turned, with a ringing in her ear. Someone is in trouble.
"I'm sorry," Leni turned to Holly. "I need to go."
"Oh!" Holly blinked. "Uh, Okay! Can we give a hand to Sky Girl? We'd love to have you again-"
"Thanks for having me!" Leni called out as she flew off the stage.
She had to leave. There was another mugging, and this guy hand a knives for hands.
Today
Leni flew over to the circle of Police. A crowd had formed at the base of a tall building.
"Kid," Hobbs sighed. "I won't blame you if you decide to go home today."
"What happened?"
"Some people spotted someone at the top of this building," he explained. "They think he's going to jump, but he says he wants to talk to you. This is the ugly part of the job. If you do this, you're going to be pushed to your limit."
Leni looked up the building. She could see the faraway figure on the ledge.
"This is going to be pretty heavy, Leni," Luna warned further. "No one's going to blame you if you walk away."
"Yes, they will," Leni argued. She turned to Hobbs. "I'll go talk to him."
He nodded, offering nothing else. Or was not able to think of anything else to say.
Leni flew up the side of the building.
The pit in her stomach grew heavier. Suicide is such an ugly thing. She always heard stories about it, but couldn't wrap her head around the concept.
She still has to help. She was summoned here, so maybe there's a way she can help.
She stopped at the top of the building, floating eye-to-eye with the victim. It was a long way down.
The boy had changed drastically. His skin was green, and leathery, if he had any hair before, it fell out, leaving a few short strays. He kept his hands hanging in front of chest, kind of what Leni's default stance is, oddly enough. Except when Leni did it, it wasn't because she was cowering down like what he was doing now. And she had more than four fingers on each hand. His attire was cargo shorts and a dark blue tank top. When he looked up at her, she saw that he had a small mouth, and blank, bulbous brown and green eyes.
"Oh gosh," Lori gasped in Leni's ear. "Who's that?"
Someone pulled her away and explained it to her. Leni could here the younger ones being pushed out of the room.
"Hello," Leni waved. "Are… Are you okay?"
He shook his head. "No…"
"Can I sit with you?"
He only nodded.
"I'm… well, you probably know who I am," Leni gingerly set down next to him. "What's your name?"
"…Leech."
"What?" Leni leaned in.
"Everyone… says I'm a leech," he said. "I don't try to be. My parents named me Jack."
Jack left it at that. Leni scooched a little closer. They were almost shoulder to shoulder.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"My parents kicked me out," he said. "Casey broke up with me. Can't go to homeless shelters. EGG places kicked me out… I don't have anything left. It's just this power now. These powers are all I have."
Leni took a second.
"I don't see it like that," Leni answered. "I heard a wise man once say… Life is a lot like a dark tunnel. You don't always see the light at the end, but if you keep moving… you'll see it again."
"You guys have been binge watching Avatar again, haven't you?" Lori lightly accused.
"Uncle Iroh's one of the wisest guys I know," Lincoln answered.
Leni reached over, taking one of his open palms in hers.
"You're stronger than you know, Jack," Leni assured him. "I know you are."
"No," he shook his head. "I'm not."
He looked Leni in the eye. "But that's why I need your help. These powers are all I have."
His hand latched around Leni's. He reached over and grabbed the offered arm with his free hand. The two sets of four digits clamped down on her like bear traps. The palms dug into her skin and a burning sensation fell across her body. She arched her back in pain and screamed.
Leni's mind went blank. She was aware that someone was shouting things in her ear, but she couldn't decipher any of it. The last thing she could remember hearing was Jack standing over her.
"Now I have your power too."
Leni opened her eyes with a start.
She shot up and looked around. Concrete walls and floors. Bars sectioned off this corner of a long hall as a room.
She's in a jail cell!
"Guys?" Leni felt for the earpiece, only to find it missing. Then she felt for the mask on her face, only to find it bare as well.
"Guys?!"
She stood up and looked around the space she was lying in. Its gone. They're both gone!
Leni grabbed the bars reaching her arm through and flailed it about, while trying to squeeze herself out in between them. That was no good, she was too big. She shook the bars, and noticed a door. She tried to push and pull on it until-
"Whoa."
She staggered and fell to her knees. Did being panicked really drain her that much?
"Relax," a familiar voice echoed through the room. "Stay a while."
Leni looked up and saw the victim she was talking to last. His timid demeanor was replaced by a confident strut.
"Jack," she struggled to stand back up. "Jack, what is this? What are you doing?"
"Jack's not my name," he waved a finger at her. She noticed his hands hand sharp teeth on their insides. "Not anymore. It's Leech."
"Where am I?" Leni pleaded. "Why are you doing this?"
"I'm hungry, Leni," he explained. "I'm always hungry. I thought those EGG Centers could be my meal tickets, but they all suspected me almost immediately. I couldn't really eat anywhere. Then I had the brilliant idea: trap you. Feed on you and any others I like forever. With your speed, I got my pick of the litter!"
"Jack," Leni shook her head. "The EGG Centers were supposed to help you! You're supposed to be getting better, not… not falling like this!"
"I am better," Leech grinned. "Thanks to you. Whatever I feed on; I start taking their attributes. Speed, strength… I even got your memories rolling around in here." He tapped a finger to his temple. It was only then that Leni realized he had grown a head of short blond hair, the same shade as hers.
"Problem is," he continued, "I only keep them around for a little while. I have to come back to eat again. But now that you're my prisoner, I can come back and eat any time I want."
"No," Leni begged. "You can't do this!"
"Already have," he grinned. Leni noticed that a black substance grew across his arms. "And unless you want me going after your family and crippled little brother, you'll stay here like a good girl."
"No…" Leni bowed her head. Think, Leni. Think!
"Well," he sauntered away. "I'm off to get something to eat. For me, not so much for you. Be right back."
He left, with Leni left to think in panicked circles. She walked around her cell, looking for something, anything she could use to escape. Finding that there were no secret passages or chisels to speak of, she collapsed against the wall, sobbing into her knees.
How did i screw up this badly?
"Are you crying over there?"
Leni's head shot up.
"Who's there?" she asked.
The voice hesitated. "You don't remember me?"
"Should I?" Leni got up to close the distance. "Who are you?"
"Ugh," she verbally rolled her eyes, "How did you ever beat us?"
Leni thought for a second. Then she realized where she recognized the voice.
"Ink."
"No duh. Way to go Nancy Drew."
"How-?" Leni stammered. "When did-?"
"You're the second guest in this hole," she explained. "He stole my power, then he wanted yours."
"Where are we?"
"Juvie," she sighed. "The building ran out of money, some scam or scandal or something. This place is abandoned. TJ said it'd be the perfect place for a hideout after…"
She fell silent. Leni waited for her to continue.
"I heard…" she tried to say. "I heard the kid lived."
Leni didn't offer any commentary. Some invisible thing constricted around her throat.
"Uh…" She stammered. "It wasn't personal, ya-know. We were just trying to, like, scare you, ya-know? I mean, I'm sorry about the kid, but-"
"Stop." Leni ordered.
She leaned up against the wall, sitting next to the cell's door. She sat down, trying to think of what to do.
Okay. She doesn't have her mask, or her earpiece. Her phone is missing too, now that she reached for it. The others were watching her, but what can they do?
"You have any food, over there?"
"No." Leni curtly responded.
"Crap," Ink complained. "I've been here since last night. I'm starving over here."
It was around noon when Leni heard the commotion surrounding Leech. She'd been here a long while.
She shook her head. Focus.
Lori and the others were watching. They saw her get grabbed and kidnapped. They would have told this to the police. And then…
She would have to hope that Lisa was serious when she claimed to chip all of them.
"You think of a way out, yet?"
"No." Leni answered. "Shut up."
"Okay, that's cool," Ink talked anyways. "Just thought you were a hero."
Leni gritted her teeth.
"Cute TV interview," she further taunted, "You mean to tell me you can't slip through the bars; little miss knees-and-elbows?"
"Shut. Up." Leni snapped. "What's your problem with me, anyway? What did I ever do to offend you?"
That got her to be quiet. She took her time answering, at least.
"You're nothing like me," Ink muttered. It was kind of hard to hear. Leni missed her super hearing.
Leni blinked when she realized what she had said. "And that's… a bad thing?"
Ink took her time answering again.
"Yes."
Leni tried to think. That girl is hurting. And its not just hunger pains.
"Is there something you want to talk about?"
She made a disgusted noise. "The hell do you think? What makes you think you could know me?"
"Try me." Leni challenged her.
"…" She grunted and sighed. "Dad died two years ago."
Leni didn't say anything. That's a tragedy by itself. She can't imagine the pain that had brought her.
"I had to get away from my uncle," she continued. "Joining the Hellion Angels was the best bet I had. And then… I got these powers. Suddenly Gretta took more of an interest in me."
Leni could hear her curling up against the wall.
"She's worse than my uncle." She stated. "At least TJ never touched me.
"And then you come along. Little miss prim and perfect. I bet you never had a bad day in your life."
"I've had bad days," Leni explained. "The three of you hurt my brother, remember? And nobody is perfect, Ink."
Leni bowed her head, realizing that was the only thing she knew to call her by.
"Like, I don't even know your name."
Ink sighed. "Clarice."
"Clarice," Leni repeated. "I'm sorry you've had it so rough. I'm sorry you've been alone to deal with all of it by yourself. You don't have any other family that can help you?"
"No." Clarice muttered. "I mean, I guess. Maybe. I never tried to… I don't know. I thought they didn't care about me."
"Try." Leni urged. "They might surprise you."
"Heh." She laughed bitterly. "Yeah. If we get out here. You know about family?"
"I'd say it's the one thing I do know," Leni assured.
"…" Clarice shifted. "You must be close. To your family. You guys don't fight, like at all?"
"We fight every day," Leni laughed. "But I have, like, my own ways of paying them back. Like, I learned how to pick locks just so I could walk in on them whenever I… want… to…"
Clarice shifted again.
"You can pick locks?"
Leni blinked as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
"I can pick locks," she answered. She shot up and pulled out a hair pin. She started to work on her lock. "I can't believe I forgot-"
"Just hurry and get us out of here!" Clarice was at her own door.
"Hold on," Leni assured. "I almost… got it…"
A noise echoed through the facility. It was too obvious. Someone was coming!
"Leni," Clarice warned. "Leni, stop! He's coming!"
"I can open it," Leni tried to work faster. "I can-"
A door was kicked opened, and Leni let go of the hairpin. It was still in the lock. Leni backed away from the cell door.
Leech appeared before her, holding his shoulder. His clothes were stained with blood. He glared at her suspiciously. Did he see…?
"Rough day?" Clarice taunted. Or was she distracting him?
"Stupid Lion," he muttered. "He said it'd be easy."
Wait. Lion?
Leech limped over to Clarice's cell. "I don't know which one of you has healing powers, and I don't care. It burned up all my time. Stupid cops. Guarding the EGG Centers… If I die out there, no one's coming to save you, you know! So its in your best interest to help me. Who knows, maybe you'll come to care for me."
"Don't count on it," Clarice spat at his feet.
Leech looked at his arm. It was clean. No black substance.
"I'm losing my powers," he muttered. "Time for a refill, Daddy's girl."
"What?" Clarice backed away. "No!"
Leech jingled some keys out of his pocket and started to unlock her cell.
"No! Stay away from me!"
Leni reached out and started fiddling with the hairpin. The two doors opened at the same time.
Leni charged Leech.
"Get. Away. From her!" She threw punch after punch.
He had her reflexes. He ducked and dodged out of the way. Then he swiped his arms at her.
"Get. Back. In your. Cell!"
Leni ducked and dodged out of his way. Miraculously, she caught his wrist. Then the other one.
Now what?
Clarice ran out of her cell and held the door open. The two girls made eye contact, understanding the plan immediately.
Leni shoved him once to get him to the door. Then, the two girls shoved him into the cell and slammed the door shut. Clarice grabbed the keys that were still in the door.
"No. No!"
Leech lunged at the bars. Leni and Clarice stood against the opposite wall, gasping for breath. He reached for them wildly and howled like he was being burned alive.
Clarice eventually pulled Leni to the next room, one Leni couldn't think about or observe right now.
"Here," Clarice handed Leni her gear. They were in a desk next to the door. "This is yours."
Leni took the items and put the on, one by one. She looked around. This was a set of offices, not unlike the police station. All abandoned.
"So, what happens now?" Clarice asked. "I go to jail?"
Leni looked at her. She didn't know what to think.
"I'm still angry at you," Leni confessed. "I know you haven't had an easy life, but that doesn't excuse what you have done to me.
"But," she continued. "All things considered: its been a long day. So I'm giving you one day to think about what you want to do. You can wander the city, a criminal waiting to get caught, or you can go home and try to reconnect to someone other than your uncle."
She didn't answer.
"Think about it." Leni advised. "And if you need help… I'll help you."
She nodded. "Okay."
She walked to a wall, painting her hands over it and sparing Leni one last look. With a final nod, she walked through the swirling vortex, and disappeared.
Leni flew out of the building, finding a fire exit.
"Leni?" Lincoln sounded panicked. "Leni, are you there? I think she's back!"
"I'm alright, Linky," she sighed. "I'm back."
"What happened?" Lori fretted. "You've been gone for hours!"
"I'm sorry," Leni sighed again. Taking another breath of fresh air this high in the sky. "I need to make a call to Officer Hobbs. It's… been a long day."
