CHAPTER 9
Barbra read the note while Helena was tending to Danielle's wounds. "I don't like this one bit. She is dictating where and when you are to meet her. You'll be walking right into a trap," Barbra said, putting the note down.
"I agree. I wouldn't do it, Helena," Reese added.
"You don't get this. This is my chance to gain my freedom, and clear my name from this murder charge. The note says if I am interested in clearing my name, to meet her at that location."
"Helena, this woman wants to kill you. Don't forget, she has someone working for her. There are two shape shifters out there. You have trouble enough with one of them."
"No problem. I've seen Danielle in action. How about it, partners?" She stuck her hand out.
"I'm sorry, Helena, but I have no interest in fighting. I can't stand fighting. I may have the skills, but I use them only when forced to. I did what I did in the bar because she was going to kill you."
Helena shook her head. "Fine, I'll go alone. I am not going to just sit here and wait for Raven to make the first move."
"Helena, we're talking about your life. You are going to die if you do this."
"I'm dead already! My life has been stolen from me, and I am going to get it back!"
"Then I'm going with you," Dinah said firmly.
"No!" Both Helena and Barbra said in unison. "Thanks, Dinah, but this is my fight. You are not ready for this kind of fight." Helena said.
"Then let me go with you," Reese stepped in.
"I appreciate the offer, Jesse, I really do, but we're talking about a dangerous meta-human. This may be a little too rough for you."
"This is suicide," Barbra shook her head in disbelief.
"I have to do this."
* * * *
The location was the fifth story of an abandoned condo. In fact, the entire fifth level of the building was all one room. With wooden floors, it looked almost like some kind of studio. Helena walked cautiously through the room. "Okay, I'm here! Show yourself, Raven."
"So, you've gotten the nerve to show up, after two beat downs. You are persistence." Raven stepped out of the shadow with a smirk on her face. They were facing each other from opposite ends of the studio.
"You've gotten what you want. You have me. What is it you want?"
Raven smiled. "Oh, you must be talking about clearing your name."
"I know you have something to do with this," Helena said with a firm look on her face. "Tell me, why?
"Why frame you for murder? Isn't that obvious. I wanted your attention."
"You had it when we first met. Why go through all this just to frame me for murder?"
"Does it really matter? I killed that officer, and framed you for it just to make this all the more interesting, and I must admit, this has been very interesting. Anyway, What does matter is that I am the only way you can clear your name. All you have to do is beat me."
"What's the catch? You really think I am going to believe that you will make a confession to the police that you killed the police officer?"
"The catch is that we fight until the death. I am sure that my dead body will be more than enough evidence of your innocence. You have more than enough witnesses to vouch for you, and when they test my body, they will find that your story checks out. That's IF you can beat me. If I am not mistaken, the score is 2 to zero in my favor."
"Well, I'm shooting from the three point line." Helena said as she ran at Raven.
Raven ran at Helena and both women leaped at each other and met in mid air. They both threw a punch as they met in air. Their punches canceled each out as they flew past each other and landed on the ground. They turned around to face each other and charged at each other once again.
As they approached each other, arms and legs were swinging and kicking in a blur. Helena broke it with a kick to Raven's gut, causing Raven to lean forward to gasp for air.
Helena formed a fist with her right hand and she slapped Raven across the face with the back of her hand. Raven stumbled to her left a few steps. Helena went in again but Raven swung and with amazing strength, hit Helena in the gut with the lower palm of her right hand. Helena went flying backwards a foot above the ground nearly back to the far end of the studio.
Helena was stunned. How could she be so strong now? Yes, Raven had more strength than many foes she had faced, but this was something new. She was even more stronger than the last time they met. Had she been holding back the other two times?
Helena stood up and Amber laughed. "Now, you are realizing that I am stronger and better than I lead you to believe. I have been holding back the last two encounters. I had no intentions of causing you permanent damager at that time. I've been waiting for this time."
Helena laughed. "You are pathetic, you know that? You're game is over, no matter what the outcome of this is."
"What are you talking about?" Raven looked at her suspiciously.
Helena looker over to the doorway she had entered. Raven turned around to see Detective Reese leaning on a pillar. "Now, what was it you said? I can't remember, let's listen to it again." Resse held up a miniature tape recorder and press record.
Raven's voice was on the recorder. ""Why frame you for murder? Isn't that obvious. I wanted your attention." Helena's reply came next. "You had it when we first met. Why go through all this just to frame me for murder?" Raven's answer came next. "Does it really matter? I killed that officer, and framed you for it just to make this all the more interesting, and I must admit, this has been very interesting. Anyway, What does matter is that I am the only way you can clear your name. All you have to do is beat me." Reese turned off the recorder.
Raven looked at Helena with rage in her eyes. The look on Raven's face made Helena laugh. "What's the matter? Just discovering what a looser you are? Don't worry, you'll get over it, when you're in Arkum."
Raven's body began to morph into Helena. "Now, we finish this."
The two Helena's charged at each other and again arms were swinging and legs were kicking. Reese stood there, and kept out of the fight. He put the recorder into his pocket as he struggled to try to keep track at who was the real Helena. It didn't take long for him to become confused and loose track.
The two Helena were giving and taking major blows. The Helena on the left kicked the other Helena in the ribs. She then back flipped to kick her under the chin. She landed back on her feet while the other Helena staggered backwards into a pillar.
The left Helena charged at the Helena leaning on the post. She went to plant her foot in her chest but got only the pillar as the other Helena leaped up and over the attacking Helena. As she was about to land, she used the flat of her right foot to shove the attacking Helena face first into the pillar. She fell to the ground, stunned and confused.
The other Helena looked over at Reese and smiled sweetly. Her face was battered and bruised, but it was a genuine smile. She made her way towards Reese. Reese returned the smile. "You're right, I guess you didn't need my help."
"No, but who's going to help you?" Helena morphed into Reese.
Reese immediately drew his gun, but at the same time, the doppelganger did the same and now they were standing in front of each other, barrel to barrel. "You're gun can't be real," Reese said looking at his copy from the end of his gun.
"Would you like to stake your life on it?"
Helena was back on her feet and saw two Reese pointing guns at each other and walking in a circle. Helena didn't know who was Raven and who was the real Reese. She didn't know what to do. She walked closer to them, and hung out with her back facing the doorway. Who was she to attack? The wrong choice and she may kill someone she cared for.
Barbra read the note while Helena was tending to Danielle's wounds. "I don't like this one bit. She is dictating where and when you are to meet her. You'll be walking right into a trap," Barbra said, putting the note down.
"I agree. I wouldn't do it, Helena," Reese added.
"You don't get this. This is my chance to gain my freedom, and clear my name from this murder charge. The note says if I am interested in clearing my name, to meet her at that location."
"Helena, this woman wants to kill you. Don't forget, she has someone working for her. There are two shape shifters out there. You have trouble enough with one of them."
"No problem. I've seen Danielle in action. How about it, partners?" She stuck her hand out.
"I'm sorry, Helena, but I have no interest in fighting. I can't stand fighting. I may have the skills, but I use them only when forced to. I did what I did in the bar because she was going to kill you."
Helena shook her head. "Fine, I'll go alone. I am not going to just sit here and wait for Raven to make the first move."
"Helena, we're talking about your life. You are going to die if you do this."
"I'm dead already! My life has been stolen from me, and I am going to get it back!"
"Then I'm going with you," Dinah said firmly.
"No!" Both Helena and Barbra said in unison. "Thanks, Dinah, but this is my fight. You are not ready for this kind of fight." Helena said.
"Then let me go with you," Reese stepped in.
"I appreciate the offer, Jesse, I really do, but we're talking about a dangerous meta-human. This may be a little too rough for you."
"This is suicide," Barbra shook her head in disbelief.
"I have to do this."
* * * *
The location was the fifth story of an abandoned condo. In fact, the entire fifth level of the building was all one room. With wooden floors, it looked almost like some kind of studio. Helena walked cautiously through the room. "Okay, I'm here! Show yourself, Raven."
"So, you've gotten the nerve to show up, after two beat downs. You are persistence." Raven stepped out of the shadow with a smirk on her face. They were facing each other from opposite ends of the studio.
"You've gotten what you want. You have me. What is it you want?"
Raven smiled. "Oh, you must be talking about clearing your name."
"I know you have something to do with this," Helena said with a firm look on her face. "Tell me, why?
"Why frame you for murder? Isn't that obvious. I wanted your attention."
"You had it when we first met. Why go through all this just to frame me for murder?"
"Does it really matter? I killed that officer, and framed you for it just to make this all the more interesting, and I must admit, this has been very interesting. Anyway, What does matter is that I am the only way you can clear your name. All you have to do is beat me."
"What's the catch? You really think I am going to believe that you will make a confession to the police that you killed the police officer?"
"The catch is that we fight until the death. I am sure that my dead body will be more than enough evidence of your innocence. You have more than enough witnesses to vouch for you, and when they test my body, they will find that your story checks out. That's IF you can beat me. If I am not mistaken, the score is 2 to zero in my favor."
"Well, I'm shooting from the three point line." Helena said as she ran at Raven.
Raven ran at Helena and both women leaped at each other and met in mid air. They both threw a punch as they met in air. Their punches canceled each out as they flew past each other and landed on the ground. They turned around to face each other and charged at each other once again.
As they approached each other, arms and legs were swinging and kicking in a blur. Helena broke it with a kick to Raven's gut, causing Raven to lean forward to gasp for air.
Helena formed a fist with her right hand and she slapped Raven across the face with the back of her hand. Raven stumbled to her left a few steps. Helena went in again but Raven swung and with amazing strength, hit Helena in the gut with the lower palm of her right hand. Helena went flying backwards a foot above the ground nearly back to the far end of the studio.
Helena was stunned. How could she be so strong now? Yes, Raven had more strength than many foes she had faced, but this was something new. She was even more stronger than the last time they met. Had she been holding back the other two times?
Helena stood up and Amber laughed. "Now, you are realizing that I am stronger and better than I lead you to believe. I have been holding back the last two encounters. I had no intentions of causing you permanent damager at that time. I've been waiting for this time."
Helena laughed. "You are pathetic, you know that? You're game is over, no matter what the outcome of this is."
"What are you talking about?" Raven looked at her suspiciously.
Helena looker over to the doorway she had entered. Raven turned around to see Detective Reese leaning on a pillar. "Now, what was it you said? I can't remember, let's listen to it again." Resse held up a miniature tape recorder and press record.
Raven's voice was on the recorder. ""Why frame you for murder? Isn't that obvious. I wanted your attention." Helena's reply came next. "You had it when we first met. Why go through all this just to frame me for murder?" Raven's answer came next. "Does it really matter? I killed that officer, and framed you for it just to make this all the more interesting, and I must admit, this has been very interesting. Anyway, What does matter is that I am the only way you can clear your name. All you have to do is beat me." Reese turned off the recorder.
Raven looked at Helena with rage in her eyes. The look on Raven's face made Helena laugh. "What's the matter? Just discovering what a looser you are? Don't worry, you'll get over it, when you're in Arkum."
Raven's body began to morph into Helena. "Now, we finish this."
The two Helena's charged at each other and again arms were swinging and legs were kicking. Reese stood there, and kept out of the fight. He put the recorder into his pocket as he struggled to try to keep track at who was the real Helena. It didn't take long for him to become confused and loose track.
The two Helena were giving and taking major blows. The Helena on the left kicked the other Helena in the ribs. She then back flipped to kick her under the chin. She landed back on her feet while the other Helena staggered backwards into a pillar.
The left Helena charged at the Helena leaning on the post. She went to plant her foot in her chest but got only the pillar as the other Helena leaped up and over the attacking Helena. As she was about to land, she used the flat of her right foot to shove the attacking Helena face first into the pillar. She fell to the ground, stunned and confused.
The other Helena looked over at Reese and smiled sweetly. Her face was battered and bruised, but it was a genuine smile. She made her way towards Reese. Reese returned the smile. "You're right, I guess you didn't need my help."
"No, but who's going to help you?" Helena morphed into Reese.
Reese immediately drew his gun, but at the same time, the doppelganger did the same and now they were standing in front of each other, barrel to barrel. "You're gun can't be real," Reese said looking at his copy from the end of his gun.
"Would you like to stake your life on it?"
Helena was back on her feet and saw two Reese pointing guns at each other and walking in a circle. Helena didn't know who was Raven and who was the real Reese. She didn't know what to do. She walked closer to them, and hung out with her back facing the doorway. Who was she to attack? The wrong choice and she may kill someone she cared for.