Protective Blindness

by Shirley Ann Burton

Angie's overprotective and controlling aunt comes to Electro City to take her away from her friends for her protection. Please R & R.

3. Part 3

Protective Blindness

Part 3

Meanwhile, Rita looked carefully for her niece all over the city. Checking every building, she felt very angry. "I will not let Angie be out here by herself. She could easily get hurt. Maybe the police can finally do something about this mess."

She stopped in front of police headquarters and stormed into the building.

The first two people to notice were Lieutenant Derek Vega and his secretary Miss LeSage.

Vega came up to the woman and tried to calm her down. "Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?"

Rita looked at him and said, "I certainly hope so because some goofbrain in glasses says he'll arrest me if I try to get the police's help for something unnecessary."

"Just tell me what the problem is."

"My niece is somewhere in this dangerous city, and I have to find her."

Vega told her to sit down in order to get some information. "What's your name?"

"Rita Wisland."

"And the name of the person you wish to find?"

"Angela Jacobs."

The lieutenant was suddenly surprised. "Angela Jacobs is your niece?"

"Yes, and I don't want her to stay here. It's not safe for her, and I intend to take her home."

Both Vega and Ms. LeSage started laughing very hard.

Rita wickedly asked, "What in the world is so funny?"

Ms. LeSage gained her composure and replied, "Angela Jacobs is an apprentice and assistant magician to Ace Cooper, and she's 22 years old. You couldn't be related to her."

"Sorry, Miss LeSage," said an approaching Capt. Friedrichs, "but this woman really is Angie's aunt."

Vega gave the captain a shocking look. "You know this woman?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I met her yesterday when she wanted me to arrest Ace Cooper for supposedly kidnapping Angie."

"Really?" Vega asked while giving Mrs. Wisland a mean look.

The aunt herself became disillusioned. "What kind of a hold does this guy Cooper have on all of you? Why won't you help me find my niece?"

Friedrichs stared into her face and answered, "Because she's probably out running her usual assortment of errands. After all, Angie is a fantastic cook and a very talented young woman who knows how to handle herself just fine."

Slamming the table with her fists, she got to her feet and angrily shouted, "I don't know what's wrong with you people, but if none of you will help me find her, then I'll do it myself!" She then walked out of the building, angrier than ever.

Friedrichs simply said, "That woman has a major problem, but she won't admit it."

Vega rolled his eyes, since Friedrichs himself suffered the same problem when it came to doing his job as chief of police.

The captain looked at Vega and said, "This report just came in concerning Sonny Boy's cosmetics plant."

Vega opened the folder and noticed a cosmetics line. "Let me guess, he wants everyone to think he's going into the make-up business, but it's really a criminal front, right?"

"My thoughts exactly. Our informant's doing fine, but I'm starting to get worried."

"For once I agree. He's been on the inside for a couple of weeks, but every informant we've sent has gotten seriously hurt by Sonny Boy's gang."

"Which is why I want you to do a stakeout on that plant, starting ASAP." Friedrichs then walked away.

"I'll take the stakeout," Vega whispered to himself, "but not without a little magical help."

Looking around the mall in the DNA Club, Angie passed by a certificate shop and noticed one which read, "Certificate of Friendship."

She carefully read the print. "This document certifies that you, blank, are my best friend. You stand with me in the best and worst of times. You are a true shoulder to lean on when I feel alone. Although this piece of paper cannot signify the true power of friendship, it will hopefully keep our friendship in a positive perspective." She started getting tears in her eyes.

The owner then noticed her. "Angie Jacobs, at my shop?"

"Oh," she said in a startled tone. "I'm sorry; I didn't know you were there." She then cleaned her watered eyes.

"You must have read the friendship one."

"Yes, it's beautifully written."

"Yeah. I wrote that in memory of my best friend, who died from brain cancer a few years ago. I was able to convert that grief into writing heartfelt certificates."

"That's great, being able to take the grief out in a positive way."

"It's the way I've been since I opened this place."

Angie suddenly had an idea. "Say, could you do one if somebody had more than one best friend?"

"Absolutely, not a problem. Who do you want to do this for?"

"Two big brothers who taught me never to deal with anything all alone."

Suddenly, they both heard a woman yell, "Angie!"

"Oh, no," Angie said fearfully, "it's my aunt. If she finds me, she'll take me away for sure."

The shop owner realized her problem and said, "Not if I can help it. Would you like to be a co-worker for five minutes?"

She smiled and said, "I owe you, pal."

"No, you don't. Come on in." As Angie entered, he noticed one major problem. "You're too easy to recognize, though."

"Being a magician does have its advantages." The young lady spun around twice and instantly changed her clothing. Her eyes became blue while her hair became darker brown. Looking like an employee, she also changed her voice. "How's this?" she asked with a pure Southern accent.

The owner could not believe how she spoke. "You could pass off as my Georgia cousin." After learning she could do calligraphic writing, he asked her to sit at the desk and look busy.

Rita came into the store and calmly said, "Excuse me, but have you seen a young lady, about 22, with green eyes and light brown hair?"

"I'm sorry," he answered. "I haven't seen anyone exactly matching your description."

"What about her?" asked the aunt, pointing to the young lady at the desk.

"She's been working all morning long."

Angie looked at her aunt and, with her Southern tone, said, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I've been so busy gettin' these certificates done I haven't had a chance to look up."

"Guess I'll have to keep looking," Rita concluded. "Thanks for your help anyway." She then left the store.

When she was far enough away, the owner told Angie it was safe.

The young lady did two spins and changed back into her regular self. "I can't believe it worked!" she said excitedly. "I just learned that trick from Ace three weeks ago."

"Cool!" the owner exclaimed. "I know you can't wait to tell him about this."

"Knowing Ace, he probably knows about it already." She looked at her watch and added, "Speaking of Ace, I need to get back to the Magic Express and cook chicken sandwiches for the guys."

The owner shook her hand and said he would be more than happy to make a special certificate for her friends.

She told him to take his time, and she could pick it up whenever it was ready.

Angie then got to the Magic Bike and took it home to the Express.

Early in the afternoon, after Ace, Cosmo, and Angie all had lunch, Cosmo went to work in his workshop while Ace had Angie in intense training in the practice room.

Learning of Angie's narrow escape from her aunt with the disguise trick, Ace smiled. "I saw it all in my mind. You did very well in fooling her. If you can trick your aunt, you can easily fool a lot of people."

"Yeah, but I won't be able to fool you, not with our bond."

"That's okay, but I wonder why Rita hasn't come back yet."

"She's probably checking every store in that place to find me, and she'll keep going until she's been through all the stores and food places."

"Which gives us time to get you to master your levitational abilities."

Angie shrugged nervously. "I'm not so sure, Ace. The last time I lifted myself over six feet was more than 11 years ago with that horse Moonlight."

"I know, but you've been slowly working your way up to this level. What you did at that time was an emergency. Now you have a chance to do this with no one in danger. Are you ready to try?"

After a deep breath, she nodded. "I've got to do this sooner or later, so I'll choose sooner." She then closed her eyes.

In a low tone, Ace said, "Now remember, concentrate and focus. Let your power come from within your heart."

Focusing on the power inside, it only took her a few seconds to begin slowly lifting into the air. Extending her arms out to the sides for total concentration, she had one thought in her mind. "Beyond Moonlight," she said in her mind over and over again.

Visualizing the horse in her mind, she slowly got past the saddle and went higher into the sky.

Ace next contacted her by thought to prevent her from losing her concentration. "Better be careful, Angie. You're getting a little close to the ceiling."

"I am? Oh, sorry." She stopped to within one foot of the ceiling.

"Now," Ace thought to her, "listen very carefully. I want you to open your eyes very slowly."

"Slowly? Am I that high up?"

"That's going to depend on your point of view. Now, open your eyes and see what you've done."

Angie slowly nodded and began to open her eyes. When her eyes were completely open, she was pleasantly surprised. Looking down at Ace, she asked, "You're not doing anything, are you?"

He shook his head. "No, it's all you, my dear."

She smiled happily when the door suddenly opened and a woman screamed, "Just what do you think you're doing!?"

Angie suddenly lost her concentration and began to fall towards the floor!

Ace ran up fast and caught her in his arms. "Are you okay?"

With a deep breath she replied, "Yeah, nice catch." She then turned on her aunt with anger. "Aunt Rita, you don't burst in here and interrupt practice!"

"When he's doing the practice and you're the guinea pig? You go to your room right now, and you will stay there until further notice!"

"You're not in charge here!"

"When it comes to your safety, young lady, I beg to differ. Now move!"

Angie stormed out of the training room, she slamming her fist against the wall.

Aunt Rita then turned her attention to Ace. "As for you, Mr. Cooper, I have no idea what influence you have over this city, but you are to stay away from my niece. You and your young friend are nothing more than a pair of bad influences on her!"

When she left the room, Ace closed his eyes and put his head down. "I can feel Angie's heart breaking," he said softly. "She's tried everything possible to get her aunt to understand, but Mrs. Wisland just won't listen to anything she has to say."

Ace began to feel sad himself because he knew his magic had played a positive role in Angie's life. "I remember when she first arrived and said I put real magic into her life. I realized then my powers could be used not only to protect the people of Electro City but also to make a difference in people's lives."

Within his mind, he took himself back to that night over two years ago, the night Angie first saw him perform on television. "Now I understand. When she saw me perform for the first time, I somehow became a part of her to ease the pain from the loss of her parents, as well as her sadness and loneliness. I just wish I could do something to help her at this point, since I know not even my magic is going to be enough."

Angel then popped up. "Ace?"

He snapped back into reality. "Oh, what is it, Angel?"

"Lieutenant Vega is calling."

"All right, I'll take it in the computer room."

In Angie's room, Aunt Rita was angrier than ever. "How in heaven's name can you allow yourself to be subjected to this dangerous career?"

"Aunt Rita, you just don't understand. You had no right to blast into the training room and disrupt the practice!"

"Oh, really? You let a magician float you nine feet into the air, and you don't think it's dangerous?"

Angie realized Aunt Rita still did not know about her powers yet. "No way! In fact, I find it kinda fun!"

"This is not fun! You can get seriously injured if you're not careful! I swear, Bob and Nancy are probably turning in their graves right now."

Angie's anger reached the boiling point. "How dare you bring Mom and Dad into this!" she yelled as tears began to fill her eyes. "How would you know about them, since you never came to their funeral?"

"I was never given an invitation in the first place, but I should've come anyway to make sure you were safe."

"No, the rest of the family knew you would try to take me away, but thank God Mom and Dad chose Ashley to be my legal guardian instead of you."

"Now the times have changed, and as of tomorrow morning, you're coming home with me!"

"Never! I have every intention to stay here!"

"Don't you even care about what happened to your parents?"

In tears Angie replied, "Aunt Rita, not one day has gone by that I don't think about Mom and Dad. However, instead of continually grieving over my loss of them, I remember the good times and fond memories with them. That and the support of all my friends are what help me get through each and every day. I have learned I do not have to be alone for anything." Drying her eyes, she added, "Ace Cooper and Cosmo are brothers to me, and I have more true friends here in Electro City than I've ever had in my entire life."

"Ha! They're all just using you."

"You are impossible, Aunt Rita! I've learned to let go of the past, so why can't you?"

Instead of answering the question, her aunt simply said, "You can pack your bags tonight because in the morning we are gone!" She then walked out of the room.

Angie felt helpless and hopeless. "Ace, I know you can tell how sad my heart is. I just don't know what else to do."

Ace and Cosmo were in the computer room listening to Vega explain the situation about Sonny Boy's cosmetics plant. After thinking it over, the pair decided to join him on the stakeout.

Passing by Angie's room, Ace asked, "Would you like to join us on a stakeout?"

Angie looked at him and replied, "You and Cosmo better go without me for now. I'm too emotional to be of any help at the moment."

The Magician smiled and said, "It's okay, Angie. We understand."

"Yeah," Cosmo agreed, "we'll tell you all about it when we come back, okay?"

"Thanks, guys."

Ace and Cosmo then took off in the Magic Racer to help Vega.

Minutes later, Ace, Cosmo, and Vega were in Vega's care as they listened in on the plans of crime boss Sonny Boy Surge.

Inside the plant, a gentleman dressed in a purple suit, green shirt, yellow tie, and fancy dress shoes addressed his gang. "All right, youse guys," he spoke in a true Brooklyn accent. "Everything's gone well so far. All those stupid spies the police try to use on us are always stopped. Problem now is if they've done it again."

Shades, a guy with red hair and brown eyes, took his portable computer out to check. The blue-suited man said, "If they have, I'll find that bug." The electronics genius of the gang, he could use his computer to find whoever was spying for either the police or the rival crime boss Black Jack.

A bigger gentleman with glass eyes and cut-sleeve shirt and suit popped his own knuckles. "Leave that creep with the bug to me," said Glare. "I want to tear him up from limb to limb."

"Save a piece for me," said Tiny, who was anything but what his name implied. He was incredibly large and had an extraordinary muscle build. He had no fear to do what his boss said and thoroughly enjoyed his life of crime.

Shackles was the newest member of the gang. He had blonde hair and green eyes and wore a red suit. Making a reputation as a swindler landed him in Sonny Boy's good standings. "The police has done more to stop us than Black Jack. I wonder why."

"It's simple," Sonny Boy said. "Jack is so old-fashioned he wouldn't consider anything like this, although his daughter is beautiful."

Shackles blushed while he adjusted his belt buckle.

Back in the car, Ace said, "Sonny Boy is right about one thing. Jack Malone would rather do his crimes the old-fashioned way."

Cosmo curiously asked, "So this cosmetics plant is just a cover for Sonny Boy's criminal activities?"

"Right," replied Vega. "Ever since we closed down Sonny Boy Hills, he's been somewhat desperate to get something going just to compete with Black Jack."

"That bad, huh?" Ace said.

"Yeah, but the fact of the matter is our informant has lasted longer than any we've sent."

"Which one is it?"

"Shackles. He agreed to help us when we told him he could get a couple of years off his sentence."

Although they talked, they failed to notice someone watching them. A gentleman in a white suit eyed them very closely. "Oh, man," he said nervously. Speaking into his radio watch, he said, "Boss?"

Sonny Boy spoke, "What's going on, Boggles?"

"You're not gonna believe this, but that old cop Vega and the Magician are right outside. They're listening to everything."

"Really? All right, keep an eye on 'em there." Sonny Boy turned to his gang and said, "Okay, let's look over the plans for that jewel heist on Thursday when that ship comes in." He knew the place was being bugged, so he started a phony conversation.

Shackles adjusted his belt buckle again.

"What's wrong, Shackles?" the crime boss suddenly asked. "Afraid your pants are gonna fall down?"

"Don't be silly," the swindler said as his nerves began to get on edge. "It's a habit I've had since I was a kid. I can't help it."

Sonny Boy smiled and said, "Forget it, Shackles. Some habits are hard to break. I have a few myself, such as stealing."

Outside, Vega let out a huge sigh of relief. "Wow, I thought for sure he'd discover the bug in Shackles's belt buckle."

"Cool place to hide it," said Cosmo.

On the inside, however, Shades discovered who had the bug. "The device is on . . . Shackles's belt!"

Sonny Boy and the others drew their guns.

"And I trusted you," Sonny Boy said as he waved his right index finger. "You outdid the other idiotic informants the police had sent, but it looks like your time is up."

In the car, the Magician and his friends knew Shackles was in trouble, so they rushed out to get into the plant.

When they entered the building, though, Vega tripped an electronic-eye alarm which triggered the release of toxic gas!

As the gentlemen immediately began to lose consciousness, Ace tried to transform. "Magic Force," he tried to say, "reveal the . . ." Overtaken by the gas, he fell to the ground.

Suddenly, Shackles was pushed into the room, where he quickly passed out from the effects of the gas.

On the other side of the door, Sonny Boy laughed wickedly. "I was ready for some company, and it looks like everyone's here, including the Magician himself. I've been itchin' for this chance for a long time, Cooper!"

Wearing gas masks, Tiny, Glare, and Boggles took Ace and the others toward a terrible fate.

Back at the Magic Express, Angie sat on the floor of the living room. Petting Zina, she managed to find some comfort in her tense situation. "Zina, I love all my friends here. I just don't see how I can get Aunt Rita to listen to any other side than her own."

Her aunt suddenly entered and nearly went crazy. "Get away from her, you animal!" Aunt Rita started to grab a small table to throw at the panther.

"I've had enough!" Angie yelled as she got to her feet. Her body starting to glow in a light-blue aura, she screamed, "This overprotective madness ends now!!"

Just as Rita angrily tossed the table towards Zina, Angie closed her eyes, extended her right arm outward, and stopped the table in mid-air!

Rita gasped in complete shock. "Wha-how . . . how did you do that?"

"It's simple, Aunt Rita." Opening her eyes, Angie then stated, "I know how to do magic. Earlier, you thought you saw Ace levitating me in the air, but in reality, I was levitating myself!"

"You!? You couldn't possibly do that." Rita shook her head as she tried not to believe what she had seen. "I saw you on television with Ace Cooper a few nights ago, but I didn't see you do anything like this."

"That's probably because at the time you tuned in, Ace was doing his part of the act while I played stage spectator."

"This-this can't be for real!"

Putting the table back in its proper place, Angie spoke. "It's the truth, Aunt Rita. I have the power of magic within my heart. For a long time, I was afraid of having these powers because I considered other people's reactions instead of my own feelings. Ace was the one person who helped me realize the power within myself was a gift, not a curse. I knew I could never tell you about my powers because you would isolate me from everyone, and I've spent too long being alone!"

"You mean . . . you already isolated yourself completely before?"

"Yes, unfortunately. I became something I didn't want to be, exactly like you: alone and grief-stricken! Now that I do have friends who care and worry about me, I can--" Angie was suddenly interrupted by a strong feeling in her heart whild her body glowed even brighter.

Rita thought the glowing was just an act. "I knew you didn't belong here, and it takes heart problems to tell you."

"No, it's not that," Angie struggled to say. As the power in her heart quickly flowed to her mind, an image materialized. Soon she could see Ace, Cosmo, Vega, and Shackles all tied up over a vat of sulfuric acid! "Oh, no!" she said worriedly. "Ace and the others . . . they're all in terrible danger!"

"Oh, brother," Rita said sarcastically. "You must want me to think I was born yesterday. Do you really expect me to believe that rubbish?"

Angie looked at her aunt and replied, "One of closed heart and closed mind? No, I don't expect you to believe that at all. Then again, I don't expect you to believe this, either!"

Closing her eyes and going into a wild spin, she yelled, "Magic Force, reveal the power within!"

When she finished spinning, she wore a different outfit: a dark cape, a grey t-shirt with yellow collar, a grey ruffle skirt, an inside red jumpsuit, a pair of blue gloves with lace ruffles, a yellow belt with a black-and-red buckle, a pair of yellow socks, and a pair of heeled black boots. Placing her left hand in front of the right side of her upper body, a red half-face with a yellow eye suddenly appeared on the shirt.

Rita was overwhelmed by what her niece had just done. "I-I don't believe this!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "What you just did--"

"Sorry, Aunt Rita," said Angie, opening her eyes. "I'll have to explain later. Right now, my friends need me!" She put her right arm underneath her cape and made a motorcycle helmet appear. "Angel?"

The hologram quickly popped up in front of her. "Yes, Angie?"

"Get the Magic Bike ready," the young lady said as he put on her helmet. "I've got some friends to rescue!"

In a short time she exited through the garage door on the Magic Bike to save her friends. "Hang on, Ace," she thought. "I'm on my way!"

Her aunt, still confused by what she had seen Angie do, thought she still had to keep an eye on her. "I don't know what's going on, but I have to follow her." She then went to her car and took off after her niece to make certain she was safe.