TWENTY

.

Amy walked to the only door in the building, finding it made of metal and quite heavy. Pocketing her Taser, she pulled at the handle, poking her head through the gap.

"Hello?" she called. "It's me! I'm here with the footage! Don't shoot me!" She swallowed, made herself stand straighter, and pulled the door wide open. She stepped in gingerly, looking up and around at the interior.

Empty but barely twenty feet square, the room's only occupants appeared to be dusty pieces of office furniture. As she made her way to the middle of the room she noticed a door at the back. She pushed at it carefully, allowing it to swing open.

"Cutting it fine, aren't we?" Sapphire asked from her vantage point in the next room. Seated quite comfortably in the middle on a swingy chair, her legs were crossed, her right hand sitting on her knee - holding a handgun pointed straight at Amy. "I mean your brother's appointment is in less than twelve hours, and your boyfriend… well, you should really rethink that situation. He's at a party at his boss' house right now. With a bunch of other women." She shrugged. "I would say that I don't think he deserves your loyalty, but then, I don't want to weaken your reasons to give me that footage."

"Not that it's any of your business," Amy snapped, "but I know. It's a work thing."

"Riiiight," Sapphire said, with enough sarcasm to sink the Titanic. "That's what we'll keep telling ourselves."

"Do you want the phone or not?" Amy asked. She pushed her hand inside her jacket.

"Ah ah ah!" Sapphire warned, her gun lifting to aim better. "Slowly, please. Not that I don't trust you - but I don't."

Amy opened her fingers, letting just her index finger and thumb lift the phone by its top corner. She held it higher, her other hand out to show it was empty. "It's just the phone, ok? I want to live through this."

"Good girl," Sapphire said. She lifted her chin. "Charlie!"

The rather tall example of a battering ram appeared through the door behind Amy. She jumped and nearly dropped the phone as she looked over her shoulder at him. She turned and held it out to him, backing up.

He pointed toward it. "Unlock it."

Her thumb slid over the button, and then she tapped at more settings. "I've taken off the security," she said. "Anyone can unlock it now."

"You are a smart one," Sapphire mused. "Shame. I was looking forward to having to cut your finger off to keep it with the phone."

Amy tossed it at Charlie, stepping back. "Are we done?"

He turned the phone around, going to the photos app and scrolling. "Just two videos, boss." He pressed at the first one, beginning to smile. "It's pretty good. I mean it's upside down, but… it's a zoomed-in shot." He carried it over to Sapphire, holding it out for her to see.

She grinned. "Not bad. How the hell did you get so close?"

"They were doing something round the back of that massive car," she said. "I didn't stick around to see."

Sapphire nodded and Charlie pressed the next video. This one appeared to be mostly pavement, and then a very blurry shot of the side of someone's face behind a black mask. It focused itself and Sapphire frowned. "Who is that?" she asked. "Play it again, quickly. I think that's the closest we've ever got."

Amy put a foot behind her. She managed two more steps toward the door before, without even looking, Sapphire raised her gun at her.

"Stop there," she called. "We're not done checking the merchandise."

"Take it," Amy said. "You said you wanted the footage - you've got it in your hand. All I want is my boyfriend and my brother."

Sapphire looked up. "Ye-ah… about that."

"What?"

"Well, now we have the footage we don't need any of you, do we?"

"What?" Amy demanded in anger.

"Oh come on - try to see it from my point of view," Sapphire smiled. "I can't have loose ends hanging around. I'm afraid you're going to have to go. If it's any consolation you will be dead before the others - you'll never be in a world without them and they'll never know you let them down." She turned and nodded to Charlie. He went to the door behind Sapphire's chair and opened it up - and another ten people filed through, automatic pistols at their sides. Sapphire turned back to look at her. "So there's that at least."

Amy looked them all up and down in astonished anger. "You lying—! I freakin' knew you'd turn on me!"

"And yet here you are," Sapphire sighed. "Not exactly the smart bitch now, are we?"

"Look up. Bitch."

Sapphire's smile drained away. She and Charlie swept their gaze up - and up.

There, in the centre of the ceiling above them, was a shiny black orb, something with a red light moving around inside.

"What - the hell - is that?" Sapphire demanded flatly.

"A camera. My colleague from the Daily Sentinel put it there about four hours ago - he's watching it right now from the safety of another office," Amy said defiantly, her chin out in vindication. The silent people spread out, eyeing it gingerly as they slowly edged their weapons behind them, out of sight. "If you let me, Kato and Benedito go, the recording stays with me," Amy was saying. "If you kill me or if anything unfortunate happens to either of them, then that goes viral. Everyone will see you murder me in cold blood - everyone will know it was you that hurt them."

Sapphire smiled, shaking her head. "You think I fear exposure?" She stood up slowly, gesturing Charlie out from behind her shoulder with her free hand. "It's way too late for that." She levelled the gun at her.

A revving noise made her pause.

Charlie tilted his head as it got louder. "What—?"

The outside wall exploded as the Black Beauty ploughed through it. The car carried on straight through the interior wall. It slid to a stop mere feet from Amy - who screamed and leapt to one side. People spilled left and right in a bid to keep their appendages.

Sapphire didn't think - she fired straight at the driver beyond the windscreen. The bullets pinged off. Something hit the wall, the ceiling.

Two squares opened up in the bonnet. Two tiny jets appeared - green gas darted across the room.

Sapphire clamped the inside of her elbow over her mouth and nose. "Go! Go! Go!"

Men scattered. Charlie was trying to cover his mouth as he leapt at the car. People lifted weapons, aimed at Amy, the car - anything. One woman coughed and slumped straight to the floor, out like a light.

Britt opened up the back door. His fist shot out into Charlie's face. He staggered back.

Out of nowhere red and blue lights shone into the half-destroyed room. "Alright! This is the police!" came a voice over a loud speaker. "We have you surrounded!"

Kato slipped the loops of a slim gas filter over his ears, adjusting it over his nose and mouth. He grabbed the door release and yanked. "Easy my ass," he cursed.

Britt was swinging a fist into a man's face. He fell but another pushed at him. He let off a string of shots right by his ear. Britt shifted the diminutive gas mask over his mouth and elbowed the man. He staggered back.

Amy backed up in fear as a woman advanced on her. She snatched up the nearest object - a broken table leg - and brandished it at her. She laughed as she raised her gun.

Something black flashed into the side of the woman's head from behind. Stunned, falling, there was just time for it to strike her again. Amy threw herself back against the wall - and saw the owner of the flying boot, a man dressed in black. He looked at her, adjusting his gas mask straight. "Don't move!" he warned.

Her mouth opened but he spun and his foot went into a police officer's face. He ducked a punch, back-fisted the owner, spun and kicked into another man. Someone in blue grabbed for him. He snapped back as if made of rubber bands. His foot flicked up. It cracked into the gun. Spinning up into the air, it was unceremoniously snatched and pointed back at the former owner's face. The man gasped. The gun was dropped. The assailant sprang backwards - smacking into Britt's back.

He turned and swiped a fist into his head. The man dropped and he nodded in satisfaction. He turned - and was punched squarely in the face. He swung a fist back and caught someone in the head. He kicked randomly and felt it connect with something. He heard someone cry out. From the corner of his eye he saw a body fly up into the air just as he swung into another man trying very seriously to get a clean shot at him.

A squeal of pain and a crash told him another man had landed somewhere in the room. He tried to look but something grabbed his shoulder. He managed to yank on it; he pounded his fist into something hard.

"Ow! It's me!" Kato protested.

"Sorry dude," he blurted, letting go and standing back. "I can't even see with this mask and this gas - uh - mask on!"

"Punch someone - someone else!"

"I am!" He lurched toward another police officer. Smacked in the face not once but twice, he hit back until the man was on the ground.

Amy gasped as a man came running for her. She grappled desperately in her pocket for her Taser. But the man stopped short just feet from her, yanked back from behind. A black and white glove hammered into his temple and he dropped to the ground, revealing the man in black standing over him. He looked at Amy for a second. Then he whipped around and punched at a police officer. He backed up as a man with a gun leapt at him. His left boot arced up and swept him to the ground. Another man was trying to unjam a gun. He dropped it and just punched at his mask with all his strength. He was thrown back directly into Amy. She was plastered against the wall as the man in black let fly with a succession of punches so fast the recipient was hammered back. They lost their balance and fell. He planted a boot in their face. Amy reached out carefully to the black coat. She pushed gently, making him take a step away from her.

His head snapped over to their right. Amy glanced up to see another man coming for them. The man in black took a running jump and his foot collided with the man's head.

Britt slammed his fist into another face, then another. Something gave a smash and a tinkle. He glanced over and saw a boot arcing through the air into someone's chest. Wood flew, someone cried out, a smashing sound heralded another downed assailant. Kato landed gracefully on his feet.

He looked around the floor, finding people and police officers sprawled in various states of consciousness.

Britt reached out to Kato and the two men high-fived each other.

Amy swallowed. "Uh - fellas?"

They turned and looked over at her. She pointed through them.

They shared a long look before they spun right round - and found three police officers standing behind them, weapons drawn. Britt jumped in surprise; his hands started to go up. But Kato took three steps back - and then powered forward. A leap and a twist saw his foot fly into the chest of the first officer. His other boot went into the second face; the knee attached to the first leg went into the last man standing. He landed awkwardly but caught his balance.

Britt clapped. "Yeah, see?" he grinned.

"Not bad," said Sapphire, appearing from the far corner. "Pity your gas ran out. Now we're even."

Kato straightened his coat, dusting off his sleeves. He stepped over an officer, walking toward her.

But Charlie appeared from round her and put a hand out. Kato backed up one, looking him up and down. "Now now, Tiny," he sneered.

"That's Mr Tiny to you!" Britt snapped.

Charlie ignored him, still glaring at Kato. "I owe you for the first time we met."

"Well you do need to pay me for my dry cleaning," Kato said innocently.

"You little ass-wipe!" Charlie hurled. He powered a fist forward.

Kato stepped back. His head bobbed to one side effortlessly. Charlie threw another punch - then another. Kato simply jerked to one side then the other. Charlie growled something and threw all his weight into a jab. Kato spun away to the side - and his elbow hammered back and into his kidney.

Charlie coughed out a swear word. He staggered to stop himself from going right onto his face. He reached for the wall, sucking in air and turning.

Sapphire glared. "You think you're so cool," she cursed. She raised the gun. Britt gasped and rushed her, grabbing her gun hand in both of his. He flung it up, keeping it pointed at the ceiling. She struggled and cursed at him. He elbowed at her face - she flew back. Her gun was knocked from her hand. She gripped his coat and rammed her knee up into his groin.

He flew over with a howl of pain. Sapphire looked around for her gun. A hand pulled on her shoulder. She turned; Amy's fist belted her in the face. Caught off-guard she went over backwards. Amy plunged her hand in her hoodie pocket. Sapphire struggled to get up, one hand to her nose to try to staunch blood. Amy whipped out the Taser. She rammed it against Sapphire's neck and pressed the button.

Sapphire clenched and gurgled something as Amy jumped in surprise. She dropped the Taser in fright; she stepped back.

Sapphire went limp and sank to the floor.

Amy staggered further away from her. She turned and found Britt on the floor. She bent and yanked at his arm. "Get up!" she urged. "We have to get out of here before more cops arrive!"

"I'm trying," he whimpered. "What it is about women going for the family jewels every goddamn time!"

"It is the quickest way to put a man down so you can run." She pulled at his arm and he got back to his feet.

He gripped her arm suddenly and hauled her backwards - just as Charlie came flying across the room. He narrowly missed them both to hammer into the floor on his back. He spat swear words. He got his hands out either side of him to push himself up. Kato stepped over broken furniture and insensate police officers toward him.

Charlie scrabbled to his feet. He shook his head to clear it, then stalked closer to Kato, his hands up ready to box.

Kato reached up and took the gas mask from his mouth, shoving it into his pocket. He sniffed, wiped a thumb across his bottom lip, and then turned side-on to him casually. His knees bent as if in slow-motion as his feet shuffled wide. He settled into the relaxed stance. His hands swept up and round in a stretching manoeuvre to bring his right out toward Charlie, his fingers spread, his left closing into a fist nearer to his own face.

And then his right wrist pivoted and beckoned Charlie closer.

Britt grinned. He lifted his clenched fists in excitement. Amy, her eyes wide, clutched her phone. Her heart in her mouth, she watched as Charlie growled something and crept closer to him.

Kato watched. Charlie feinted right but Kato didn't even flinch. As Charlie pulled back he dropped and whirled. His ankle chopped into Charlie's knee and he went over, smashing into a table. Kato sprang back up, bouncing easily as he waited.

Charlie grabbed a chair to help him get back up. —And then he lifted it. He hurled it round at Kato.

He ducked. Half of the table smashed into his side. Charlie rushed him. Kato bounced sideways and his fists snapped out into his face, pummelling over and over as if Charlie's head were a boxing speedball. Britt's eyes were jerking from side to side as he attempted to keep track of the blows raining into Charlie's head. Charlie staggered back out of pure momentum. Kato's next fist swiped sideways. It whoomfed into Charlie so hard he was twisted through the air to land on his face.

Kato bounced back, watching him closely.

Charlie groaned and put his hands under himself. He climbed to his feet. He lurched forward. Kato slid under his desperate punch; his fist shot into the larger man right under the armpit. Charlie cried out and fell back - but his foot came up and he made a desperate kick toward him.

Kato caught it in his right side. He was pushed face-first into the wall. He bounced back and whipped around. His foot came up. It drove Charlie's face into the floor again. Charlie coughed and spluttered, spitting blood as he found his horizon and used it to get his hands to the floor.

Kato wiped blood from his own nose, getting some breath back as he glared at him. "Stay down!"

"Screw you!" Charlie heaved.

Britt put an arm out across Amy, guiding her back, careful not to trip on the various bits of broken furniture and fallen men. She shuffled back.

Charlie was back on his feet. He threw himself at Kato. His bigger size engulfed him. It sent them both to the floor with a huge crash.

Amy stretched a hand out. "No!"

Britt pulled her back. "He's ok." He paused as the two men struggled and wrenched at each other on the dusty floor. "Ah… dude? You are ok, right?"

Charlie lost his grip on the smaller man. Before he knew it Kato had slithered round. His boots flew up into his chest and the larger man was thrown up and onto his back. "I'll - kill - kill you!" Charlie raged. He began to get up.

"Just stay down - you - you - 抵死的混蛋!"

Charlie drew himself up. He panted in air and turned to Kato with murder in his eyes.

Kato looked at the ceiling, letting out a long, weary sigh. He looked back at him and took a run-up; with a furious shout that echoed round the room he simply leapt and planted his foot in Charlie's chest.

He flew back into the wall. Plaster and wood splintered around him, almost making a Wile E. Coyote-like impression in the paintwork. And then, slowly, blessedly, he simply tumbled to the floor on his face. He did not move.

Kato stepped back, leaning forward slightly and putting his hand to his right side.

"Dude! You are the shit!" Britt cried excitedly, running over and grabbing his shoulder. "Oh my god you were like bam and smack and slam!"

Kato lifted his hand from his side to wave at him. "Where's Amy?"

"She's safe, man," he said quickly. He turned and looked across the room at her. "Hey - there, see? Didn't I tell you we'd fix this!"

She picked her way through the rubble and bodies carefully - then pushed Britt to one side. She pulled on Kato's coat, turning him round. "Thank you!" she cried, her arms going round him and squeezing.

Kato caught sight of Britt over her shoulder. Britt put both thumbs up, grinning and waggling his eyebrows under his mask.

Amy pulled back, stepping clear. "You know, you're kinda cute. But my boyfriend is way cuter." She turned and raced for the exit.

Britt looked from Kato to her and back again - and then scrambled after her. He caught up to her just as she was lifting her phone to get a good landscape shot of the Black Beauty. He pulled the Hornet gun out of his coat and sighed. "Look, lady - you are totally cool, right? But I've got to do this," he said. She turned and he fired straight at her face. The gas enveloped her and she sank immediately. He caught her under the arms, hefting her up and round to the boot of the car. "Dude - little help?"

Kato groaned something under his breath, then made his way over and shuffled him out of the way to take her weight. "Get her feet," he grumped.

Britt caught at her ankles and they got her round to the back of the car, successfully getting the trunk open and her comfortably inside. They closed the lid, stood back, and blew out identical sighs of relief.

"Ok - now we get them arrested?" Kato offered.

Britt looked around, taking in the unconscious Charlie and Sapphire, the many armed thugs and police littered about the broken chairs, tables, partition walls and cables. He crouched and picked up Amy's fallen phone. "Well, I think we've done as much damage as we possibly can here… Yeah, I think we should let the police clear this shit up."

Kato nodded and went around the car, finding the driver's door.

Britt pushed through rubble to get to the rear door, opening it and sliding inside. "Ok… Let's roll, Kato."

"Let's roll," Kato allowed, starting the engine and reversing the armoured car back out of the hole. It turned gracefully in the open street and, totally unhurried, made its way through the night as if simply enjoying a late-night stroll.

.


.

Amy blinked her eyes open, wincing and looking around. She rubbed at her face briskly before struggling to sit up.

Her front room looked back at her with no judgement whatsoever.

She pushed herself up straight, stretching and feeling her neck, peering round the room and trying to work out why she was on the couch. She gasped as the previous night came back to her. Her hands dived into the pockets of her hoodie and she yanked out her phone, unlocking it and whizzing through it. The screen had several long scratches across it, one corner bashed and scraped up. She went to the photos - and found all the videos were gone.

She sagged back into the sofa, closing her eyes and resisting the urge to throw the phone across the room. She looked back at the time on the screen. Finding it nearly eight in the morning, she yawned, her hands going into her hoodie pockets. Something scratched against her left hand and she pulled it out, realising it was a name card. On the front was a stylised, almost wasp-like cartoon character and an email address. She turned it over, frowning.

What appeared to be hurriedly scrawled writing proclaimed: 'Not bad for a junior journo. Keep this up and maybe next time we'll let you keep some footage.'

Underneath in curiously neat, spidery script was a further: 'Leave the dangerous stuff to the professionals.' Beside it was a black figure-eight on its side, coloured in to the point of only having tiny pin pricks for white holes in the middle of each loop.

A slow, indulgent smile crossed her features and she ran a finger over the drawing. "A little black mask." She giggled and fell back into the couch, the card pressed to her nose.

She dropped it and her phone to the couch cushion and got up, heading for the kitchen to get coffee.

A sudden buzzing sound made her jump. She looked back and realised her phone had lit up. Frowning, she scooped it up and checked the screen.

'Kato

1 message'

She grinned and unlocked it, going to the news.

'Morning. At home again today or feeling better? Movie tonight?'

She giggled, then dropped the phone and punched both hands in the air. "Better? Feeling better?" she cried excitedly. "Benedito's safe - you're texting me - those assholes must have been arrested last night and I have a shot at getting inside info on the Green Hornet! Damn right I'm better!"

She danced around the front room, fake-boxing the air for a few seconds, giggling. Then she sighed happily, retrieving the phone. She pressed at buttons and heard the line click. She put it to her face as it rang and rang.

"Morning," said a man's voice.

"Benedito! Ben-Ben-Benny! You ok?"

"Uh - yeah. I'm just getting up - I promise I won't be late," he said, a smile in his voice.

"No that's fine, I just… Well. Do you want me to come with you to the appointment? Moral support?"

"Ah that's ok. I mean I have two lovely nurses to look after me, so…"

"They gave you male nurses? That's just not fair. I never get hot guys when I'm in hospital."

He laughed down the phone. "Well my health may suck but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the view, you know?"

She smiled. "If you need anything you call me. I can be there in like half an hour."

"Oh come on - it's routine stuff. You go to work."

"Work?" she blurted. She shook her head. "I… I think I'll take the day off."

"You? A day off?"

"Yeah. Just… take a day to… open my eyes, take a stroll around the good bits of the city. Life moves pretty fast, and if you don't stop to look at it once in a while… you know, like that."

"Ok, Ferris Bueller. You enjoy your day off. I'll call you later."

"Look forward to it. Love you."

"Love you, Amy."

She cut the line and then went back to her messages quickly. She found one and pressed the call icon. It rang and rang. "Come on… come on…" Finally it clicked. "Well?" she demanded.

"We got it!" Sean cried. "We totally got all of it!"

"Well thanks for calling the police when you did," she grinned.

"Oh that wasn't me, Amy - at least not the first time. I'm sitting there in the office, right, all the lights out, watching this amazing footage - did you see the guy in black? We're going to have to get the Sentinel to give him a name now - and when the first lot of cops were put down I called it in. They got there after you and the two masked dudes left the frame for good."

"So we got it?"

"We got it! This is going to be sensational!" he gushed.

"Good. Just checking."

"I thought you'd call me like straight after - my phone's been on all night waiting for you. What happened?"

"That's a long story."

"Well no offence but it can't be as epic as the footage of the cops arriving and literally waking up Sapphire and Charlie to arrest them - you should have seen their faces!"

"I can imagine," she laughed. "So we got it, right?"

"Yes we did. I checked all of it, made copies, then passed it to the editorial team before the three a.m. deadline. They were working on it for this morning's edition. Hey - we can take the back-up copy to Mike together. What time are you in?"

"Oh Sean… I'm pretty sure I'm running on fumes here… And I need to get clean, eat something… I'm taking the day off. I'll square it with HR later."

"Well you've earned it," he grinned. "Take care."

"Have fun with the fall-out of the footage."

"Oh, I really will."

"Bye Sean."

"See you."

She cut the call and blew out a long sigh, rubbing her face. Then she tapped at more buttons and waited for the new call to pick up. Sliding the phone to her ear, she went through the house to the bathroom.

"Wei?" said a voice.

"Morning gorgeous!" she called with a grin. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Uh… just got back from the gym."

"Oh Kato - one day you have to learn to sleep in."

"I will if you will."

She giggled. "Naughty. Ok, you got me - come over tomorrow night and bring pizza. And bring another Chinese movie - that 14 Blades was awesome."

"Sure?"

"Very."

"Well… that's Saturday."

"I am aware," she grinned, looking at herself in the bathroom mirror over the sink.

"Well today is Friday… Want to go to a secret bar tonight?"

"Oooh… a secret bar?" she smiled.

"Only members get in. I am a member. You want to try it?"

"Who else is going?" She pulled pins from her hair, leaving them on the side of the sink.

"Britt Reid and maybe my friend Lenore."

"Lenore - she's cool," she nodded. "Yeah I'm in. What time are you picking me up?" she asked cheekily.

"Eight."

"Ok - eight it is. Oh, and I have lots to tell you. Last night was epic." She unclipped the barrette holding her hair in a spiral, letting the pony tail fall free.

"Were you working last night?" he asked casually.

"Was I—? Oh Kato - wait will I tell you what happened! I mean I didn't get close-ups - again - but holy shit it was amazing! You'll never guess - I met the Green Hornet and his partner - the man with the black mask! He was awesome!"

"What do you mean, awesome?" he asked, a little indignant.

She giggled. "Not as awesome as you, don't worry. And I told him that to his face. Well, his mask, anyway."

"You will have to tell me everything. Sounds exciting."

"It was!" she chuckled. She pulled the band from her pony tail, feeling the roots of her hair protest the sudden relaxation. She hissed and rubbed at her scalp.

"Coffee in the break room? What time?"

"I'm taking today off. I'm way too excited to do boring stuff like be in an office," she grinned. "Oh hey - would you have time to come over? You can help me set up my new iPhone."

"You already know how to do that," he said, but she heard a smile in his voice.

"Yeah but… you're good at tech stuff. Y'know, in case I forget how to turn on a Mac. And anyway, your boss isn't going to know you're not in the workshop doing designs and whatever it is you do, right?"

"Mmm… Maybe I could come over. Are you sure they don't need you in the office today? Britt said they are all talking about that Green Hornet guy already. Something about arrests and drug dealers."

"Oh dude - I was there - I can let other people handle the copy on that today." She paused. "I wonder why he didn't take down the cameras in the ceiling. We've got it all recorded - I mean how else will the police get a confession out of that Sapphire woman?"

"The what?" Kato blurted. She heard material on the phone for a few seconds, perhaps a muffled voice. He cleared his throat. "There were cameras in the ceiling?"

"Yeah. My colleague Sean put them up a few hours ahead of time. We were hoping to get good film out of it - think of the stills we can use for the paper."

Silence.

She waited.

Silence.

"Kato? You there?"

"Uh - yeah. Yeah, I'm here. Just… uh… So… you're ok though, right? Was it dangerous?"

"A little. But I had protection."

"The police?"

"Not them," she grinned. "Ok, I need a shower and you need to do whatever it is you're doing. Let me know when you're on your way over so I can get some proper clothes on."

"You don't have to do that just for me."

"Naughty," she giggled. "Go. Have a good day - call me."

"Ok."

The line clicked. She sighed happily and tossed the phone to sit on the lid of the laundry hamper in the corner of the bathroom. She leant closer to the mirror, scrutinising her face. "Oh yeah," she said dismissively, "he's definitely cuter than some guy in a mask."

And then she went about getting a bathrobe and clean towel ready for a long, hot shower.