Chapter 12: Time for a checkup (part 2)
Out of all the checkups he's ever done for various monsters, mutants, enhanced humans and the ever annoying Dementia this was by far the easiest one he ever done. There was only some minute changes in her blood pressure, of course it was still dangerously low but still.
It may have been the easiest one. However it was the most awkward one he'd ever done and he did a complimentary checkup for a floating eyeball of death-one of Black Hats oldest clients. But he found the silence between them oddly suffocating , which was odd in the fact he greatly enjoyed silence.
"So Ms. Rivera about your scars-"
"Hanna. C-call me Hanna please. Or um call me whatever "
"My apologies Ms. Hanna" He replied tapping on to his clipboard ," Have the wounds ever got infected ever since your accident?"
The ex-hero let out a sigh looking down at her heavily scarred legs dangling her tiny feet from the cold table. She replied in a small mumble attention still focused on her scarred body.
"Y-yes I'm sorry I didn't heard you" Flug understood he touched a touchy subject. He had a feeling that her 'death' was tough topic. Especially since the reminders she had were intricately burned into her skin.
'However I do wonder what her muscle tissue happen to look like. Did the burns seep through the skin? Is it as warped as the surface?' He may never know. Yes he could cut her open himself while she was sleeping but with her current health putting her on anesthesia would be very dangerous.
He should wait till she was in perfect condition.
"S-sorry" She said in that ever present small voice of hers, " Its just…it wasn't an accident. It was- I was – My sister she-" He voice cracked her tense shoulders slumping.
"D-Do you want to talk about it?" Flug would be the first to say he wasn't good with emotions and feelings and god forbid he had to talk about personal stuff. Gosh he felt nervous from just offering to do so. But he needed to gain her trust, and as the least threatening looking person after 5.0.5 it was essential that she needed to trust him.
Especially if he wanted to make use of her powers! He had a feeling that they were much complicated than the data he procured from the W.H.A. database.
"No!" Her panicked shout made him blink nearly dropping his pen ,"I m-mean I don't want to talk about it."
"My burn wounds were pretty severe ," She changed the topic quite fast staring at her hands, then down at her legs," And I did suffer a bout of tinnitus for a few months I think? Its pretty hard getting medical treatment on a smoking crater that was once your home"
"That explains the nerve damage, but still I've never seen a meta human with an impressive immune system" Flug stated wishing he could cut her open right then and there to satiate his curiosity. " Before the energy scanner is done can you tell me more about your powers?"
However she flinched muscles tensing," I don't like talking about my powers, it's complicated a-and I…" She trailed off looking else where.
"Is it because of what happened to Kyle?" Her whole body flinched her body curling in on itself. Flug mentally cursed at himself in German he cleared his throat," I-I have a few degrees in the soft sciences s-so if you want to talk about it-"
She shook her head knees up to her chest," No! No , I mean it's in the past, its got nothing to d-do with Kyle, or Magma-man or my sister or GoldHeart" At this her face curled up in a slight sneer ,"At least the one thing good about being declared dead is that I'm far away from him"
'Then why am still in pain? Why do these old scars hurt?'
Okay being kind wasn't getting anywhere. Flug breathed out a sigh looking at Hanna , looking at her face. When be looked at her small face the way her messy bangs covered her softly glowing eyes , the way she was curled up looking so pathetic like he once did.
Broken. Hurting. Tired of being treated like shit.
"Ms. Hanna how long are you going to be like this? You say that this isn't about Kyle, your sister or Golden Heart" Just saying that hypocritical name made him even more annoyed at her," But I'd say it is ! You've lived your whole life being chained to others isn't it about time you take it back?"
"Take back wh-what?"
"You're smart. You can figure it out"
…
"Does she even think about how hard it is to clean up after her?" A middle aged tight lipped woman huffed when the glided gates of her most trouble some client came into view. The moment her Mercedes-Benz came into view the security guard at the post nearly fell out of his chair to stand at attention.
"G'morning Missus Ratchet ! You 'ere ta see the boss?" The lumbering oaf of a security guard asked smiling at her with a very dumb grin.
"No I'm here to deliver girl Scout cookies Ralph!" She snapped at him from her car as the guard opened the gates," Of course I'm here to see Cupid Bow you bumbling twit"
'If it wasn't for the fact he was cheap and can handle Angela's sharp tonuge I would have him fired' Miss Ratchet just puckered her lips as he just laughed at her insult as she drove away.
She looked up at the mansion styled after a random Disney castle. that served as the heroines hide-out and house. A thing that her sister's insurance pay out had bought. Pink, love themed and gaudy. Although small it sparked awe in anyone whose seen it, but for Miss Ratchet it was headache.
Looking at it made her remember the PR nightmare. Countless nights of deleting rude comments, and suing rando's for slander all because she couldn't wait another month to cash in her sister's insurance.
And now she had to face another PR nightmare.
She explicitly told her to unveil her relationship with Golden Heart after the yearly memorial for her dead sister.
Not before. And now it was up to Penny Ratchet head PR agent of the World Heroes Association to clean up yet another mess. She finally got a break in her workload to go over the party for the late Rivera sister.
"She's going to be the death of me" Right when she was about to ring the door bell a bedraggled crying maid barged through the door nearly knocking over the Public Relations agent.
"Well, look what the devil dragged in" Somehow the already sour look on Miss Ratchet's face got worse when she heard that sly voice that belonged to the other person on Angela's payroll. She glared at the devilish Sebastion black raven hair framing a beautiful snow white face. The PR agent pointed at the crying maid who had made it to the end of the driveway," Is that another one of yours? Although I doubt you''ll let them live after you had your fun"
She said the word 'fun' with so much venom that it made the Butler laugh.
"No. It's one of hers. She got a bit violent toward the maid when she saw her eyeing Golden Heart" He moved aside letting her in.
"That makes six this month. How many are left employed?"
"Fourteen." He smirked sounding quite impressed ," However the number will become thirteen , one of the news station moles are getting a little to close to the truth of what really happened to Lady Hanna if you allow me to take care of her of course"
The agent just let out a sigh massaging her head in annoyance at the news. Of course she new exactly what the devilish butler meant.
Plotting a partners death was a matter of course in the superhero community , it was well known with a group or duo.
Heroes, especially bigtime ones, hated sharing the spotlight.
When ever a superhero was thinking thoughts of getting rid of said member permanently all they had to do was pay a reasonable amount of money to their agent and the Public Relations team will take care of finding a scapegoat , cleaning up evidence and hiring hit men to take care of loose ends.
It was one of the well kept secret function of the Public Relations office of the Heroes Association, easily kept afloat by hoarding black mail material collected from the Humans Relations office.
"Fine. Make it an accident. And don't leave any DNA evidence this time. You were freaking lucky I was able to pay off that city official"
The butler nodded an evil gleam in his eyes. Miss Ratchet shivered pitying the poor bitch making her way through the building. Her headache grew with every Cupid statue, re-make of the Venus de milo, the birth of Venus that dotted the winding hallways. She passed by doors whose ivory designs increased in ornate-ness the deeper she went.
The halls were void of people, any maids present avoided her heel clicking against he marble floor.
Until she stopped.
in front of a double heavy oak door. Glided in Ivory little baby cherubs carved in articulated detail adorned the doorway. Showy , eye-catching and gaudy
Just like the owner.
"Come on in sweetie~" A breathy voice called from behind the doors.
Ratchet too a deep breath when her dripping sweet vocie hit her ears. Sweet, sickeningly so. 'She's got to stop using her powers when ever I come over' She let out a slow breath counting to ten until the heat from her face faded before entering Cupids' Bows study.
Tones of pink in various hues , white marble decorative pillars , busts of harp playing angels.
It looked like every other room except for the large ornate white desk , a large plasma tv screen framed in rose gold played the engagement announcement
"I see you've been busy Cupids Bow" Ratchet greeted the back of the velvet chair turned around revealing a well portioned heroine. Soft milky skin flushed a gentle pink , silky black hair giving off a gleam greater than obsidian, a sweet heavy peach scent flowing off her.
Although she wore a black and white eye mask the gaze she gave off was so alluring Ratchet pinched her self.
"Penny dear, call me Angela please! There's no reason to be so distant with your favorite client~" The woman pouted showing off fat lusterous lips leaning toward showing off the low cut sweet heart neckline that accented her cleavage.
Ratchet pointedly averted her eyes feeling her body heat up," Stop that. I didn't got here where I am today by falling for tricks and seduction tactics" .Unlike what the Public thinks they weren't energy based. They were directly specialized for seduction, from her melodious voice that put sirens to shame, her hypnotic pheromones, and although she hadn't seen so her self , her bewitching gaze which could control the most stead fastest mind.
Such abilities if used right were dreadful weapons.
And Angela Rivera a woman equally deadly as she is beautiful knows how to use them.
Angela just pouted in defeat flapping her wings lightly to clear away the heavy peach scent that begun to saturate the air," You're no fun! If you keep being that serious you're never gonna get laid! " She turned back around the chair facing her agent," So what are you here for? I assume its not because of that whore who laid her eyes on my fiancé "
"No not that," Ratchet walked up to the plasma screen putting her self right in front of it earning a whine from the heroine who craned her neck over her shoulder," I'm here for this!" She hissed pointing at the screen which still played the engagement announcement. Angela sweetly tilted her head in confusion
"What about it? It's not a crime to tell the world of our love!" The grown woman childishly whined spinning around in her chair," The world deserves to know that me and Goldie belongs together.!"
'Fucking bitch. Does she think I'm fucking stupid?!' Ratchet's sour face twisted further in annoyance glaring down at the young woman through her cat eyed glasses," Angela sweet heart did you or did you not forget the event planned in a month?!"
"Oh. That" The sweetness vanished from her voice replaced with indifference," No. I didn't . But my dear departed sister won't mind if I did so, she gave me her blessing before she tragically died protecting her favorite sister from that heinous villain. She stood up swooning dramatically ," My dear sweet poor Hanna, she died you know, doing her duty protecting her sweet sister who she provided for ever since our parents died!"
St instantly reveled into hysterics at her performance her agent not even a bit moved by the overdramatic monologue, even more so by her unstable laughter.
"Did your acting skills got worse?" Her agent replied crossing her arms ," Unless you have something planned to get the networks hounds and the CEOS secretary off our backs I'm open to suggestions if you go down I wont hesitate to cut you off"
Angela cutely sighed hugging herself," Relax, relax I got it covered I'm gonna convince Goldie's agent of spread rumors about how they were about to break up, I'll invite some reporters to the invent spin a tale or two about troubled she was, how she saved me and then I'll unveil my new name change as a way to honor her like we planned"
Ratchet huffed kneading her head," But what about the secretary? We can't just keep trying to throw mud on his reputation , the rumors we spread are dying down"
Angela hummed tapping her thin delicate fingers on the desk. Ratchet was about to snap her out of whatever trance she put herself in before she exclaimed," I got an idea! You remember when I told you that Snail-"
"Slug. Wrong invertebrate and what about him"
Angela huffed not liking being interrupted, "I told you that Sluggie had a crush on my big sister. And we'll he wasn't happy when he found out she and Goldie were going out. And you know villains they can get awfully jealous when someone had something they didn't have"
Ratchet gave her a look," You want me to convince the populace that Dr. Slug , a well known figure in the Hero community plotted to kill Hanna? "
It was Angela's turn to give hr a look ," No. No that's stupid. Just tell them this little fact. Make sure it's spread. Just plant the seed , everyone else will take up the job of making it grow" She shook her head in disappointment at her agent. "For a cut throat woman you sure don't know how to sway the people's opinions."
Ratchet nodded again morbidly impressed by the woman's cunning. Of course she's so deadset on having her happy ending with her lobe she forgets to at least warn her. Sh shook her head already feeling the effects of the womans pheromones," Fine. But you better remember to tell me before you pull a stunt like this again so I can prepare for damage control"
Angela nodded sitting back down as the woman left however Miss Ratchet siad," Also Sebastion will be removing one of the moles, so you bettrler treat your staff better until I can get replacements for both of the maids " She said before exiting.
The moment she left Angela let out a delirious laughter , laughing at how the woman fled. Yes Miss Ratchet was annoying but it was nice to guess how long her agent can last with out falling for her oldest trick. She hadn't fell for it yet. She shook her head pausing the video. Well time to pay her hubby to be a visit to get things, making the tight lipped woman squirm always made her quite hungry.
