Here's the next chapter. I'm glad y'all are enjoying it! When I first started this, I didn't think anyone would react so positively to it... Glad I was wrong!
Thanks to watergoddesskasey, Kylria, and Solece for your reviews! Reviews are very motivational.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the classical music in this story. I just enjoy it. :)
"You're still what?" Mentally, she began to reinforce and strengthen the walls she had known so long. "Wendy, what is it?" She didn't answer, keeping her back to him and her face to the books. "Don't build the walls, please. You're with us, now. You're safe." She nodded and, bit by bit, opened a hole in her mental walls. Abe seemed stunned by the blatant revelation, but managed to hide it. "Well, um…remaining pure is nothing to be ashamed of."
"Tell that to all my high school and college classmates who made fun of me for it."
"What you do is your own choice and no one else's."
"Thanks." She finally chose a book and turned to go. "Do you like music?"
"Very much so. Why?" She smiled.
"I've found my next audience member." She purposely hid the idea from Abe's mind. He was perplexed, but didn't push the matter.
"You never did tell me what you were humming."
"It was Beethoven's 'Für Elise.'"
--
The klaxons went off. Wendy could tell, because the lights were flashing this time. She closed the book she had and strapped on the holster belt they had given her. Quickly, she left her room for the briefing room.
Manning stood at the head of the table where Liz, Hellboy, Abe, Johann, and many agents sat. Wendy burst in and froze.
"Sorry I'm late." She took a seat between Abe and Johann, ironic even though she knew not yet, as Manning nodded in her direction.
"A creature of unknown size or description is in the sewer lines causing damage, and the lines are beginning to…back up." Almost everyone grimaced at those words. "I need you to subdue it and either kill or bring it back here."
--
They hopped into the back of a modified garbage truck and headed towards one of the main lines. As they descended the ladder, Wendy tried desperately to contain her breakfast against the smell that hit her; she won. When they were all assembled in the large pipe, one of the agents spoke.
"Which way?" he asked. There was a screech from their left.
"I'm guessing it's that-a way," Wendy pointed.
"Really? What gives you that idea?" Wendy made a face at Hellboy's sarcasm, then began walking toward the sound. Everyone followed suit.
They came to a spot where the floor descended, but the ceiling did not. Wendy allowed Hellboy to precede her, though she stayed close behind. When it leveled out, they all paused.
"It should be here," one of the agents said. Abe held a hand to the room.
"It is." At that moment, the creature surfaced, its enormous bulk sending sewage water and other…nasties everywhere.
"All right. This never works, but I'll try anyway. How about we talk in a nice, civilized—" The creature cut Hellboy off by splashing an appendage in the water nearby. The disgusting stuff covered everyone. "Didn't think so." He aimed his gun at it and fired a few shots, yet the creature was unfazed.
"We're trying to kill it, right?" Wendy asked, and he nodded. "Let me see your gun." His confused look was expected. "It's the most powerful. Just trust me." Much to the surprise of everyone there, he handed over the Samaritan. She nodded thanks and aimed at a spot on the creature's head. The shot found its mark and the creature immediately exploded. She handed back the oversized pistol while wiping her face clean of the purplish-black gunk.
"Nice shot."
"Thanks. My dad used to take me to the range." With that, she tried to wipe the rest of the gunk off and climbed back to the ladder.
--
After taking about four hot showers (She didn't count.) and when she was sure she was clean, she turned off the water, wrapped a towel around herself, and went to her locker. Because there were very few female agents, she walked into one of the bathroom stalls to lessen the risk she would be seen changing. She stepped out in jeans and a t-shirt. The towel was on her head and she rubbed it over her hair. Johann, who stood in front of his open locker, turned at her reappearance.
"Hello, Agent Waterbanks," he said over the speaker system in his suit. That's how he talked: through those speakers. Wendy continued to towel-dry her hair.
"Hey, Dr. Krauss." He seemed to appraise her outfit, though it was hard to tell since he was swirling gas in a containment suit.
"Jeans und ein t-shirt?" he asked, a little skeptical.
"Yeah. What's the use of dressing up if the clothes will get messed up?" She pulled her still damp hair back in a ponytail and threw the towel into a nearby hamper. Johann chuckled, the sound a little raspy over the speakers. "What?"
"You just remind me of someone I used to know."
"Good or bad?"
"Good. We were…close."
"I hope I don't bring up any bad memories. I hate bad memories."
"No, the ones I'm thinking of are all good." Wendy closed her locker.
"Well, I better go get the lunch cart."
--
The heavy cart was laden with sandwiches, grilled cheese to be exact. She knocked when she finally reached the big metal door.
"Hellboy, I brought lunch," she called out, even though she was out of breath.
"Finally! Come on in," he called back. The agent next to the door opened it for Wendy to pass on through. HB waited anxiously, his tail twitching. Wendy looked around the room as she set the bowls off the cart.
"Where's Liz?"
"She's resting in her room."
"Ah. No one to talk to?"
"My cats."
"Yes, well, you never run out of an audience with them, now do ya?"
"No."
"They just don't talk back." Her voice seemed saddened by some unknown thing. For once, he picked up on something rather quickly.
"Is something wrong?" he asked as he picked up a sandwich.
"Oh, no, no. nothing's wrong." A smell tickled at the edge of his senses. It wasn't quite deceit…avoidance, maybe? She leaned down to pet an orange tabby. "You're lucky."
"How do you see that?"
"I've never been able to keep any pets."
"Allergic?"
"No. Just living in the wrong spot."
"Why didn't you move?"
"I didn't have the money. My—never mind."
"What?"
"Doesn't matter."
"I hate it when people say that." She just nodded. "Fine. Have it your way."
"Ha-ha. Burger King." He gave her a confused look, but shrugged it off.
"I better go. I'm sure there's something to be done." She gave a final scratch to the orange tabby and headed towards the door.
"You're not going to eat?"
"I can grab something from the kitchen."
"Fine."
"Unless…you want me to stay. Need someone to talk to?"
"No. I just thought you might be hungry." She seemed saddened by this, but took the proffered sandwich.
"I like grilled cheese." The orange tabby sat at her feet and meowed. In answer, she tore off a piece of crust and made a sound almost identical to the meow. The tabby rolled onto its back and purred. Wendy scratched its belly before watching it scamper off with the crust.
"Huh. How'd you do that?" Wendy shrugged and finished the sandwich.
"I'm gonna go." She hurried out the door, long-suppressed memories flooding her mind. As she always did when she was upset, she grabbed her iPod and headed to the library.
Her earphones were the kind that hooked over her ears so they wouldn't fall out or off. Strange though it seemed, it was classical music she was using to drown out everything, including her own thoughts. Who could be truly upset when listening to Mozart's 'Turkish Rondo'?
What could the memories be?
Maybe we'll learn more about Wendy in the next chapter...
Remember, reviews are very motivational... {(*hint, hint*) if you don't like it, it motivates me to write better}
A/N: In case you haven't heard it before, Mozart's 'Turkish Rondo' is a very upbeat piece of classical music. Beethoven's 'Für Elise' is slower, but it's one of my favorites.