Sorry this took so long. I've been really busy lately. But here it is, hope you enjoy.
The hospital allowed me to remove my sling that week. I couldn't wait to get out of the confines of my own house and back onto the streets.
My phone vibrated in my pocket as soon as I left work the day my sling came off, "You coming out tonight? Mindy said you're all sorted out now." Dave's soft voice asked.
"Sure. See you later." I replied and I heard him put down the phone.
As I went to get in my car Marcus caught up with me. "Penny!" He called, from across the parking lot.
"Hey, what's wrong Marcus?" I asked, brightly.
"Do you notice anything weird about Mindy at the moment?"
"Depends on what you count as weird." I laughed, nervously. He was very proctective of his adopted daughter.
"She's been really quiet lately, I was wondering if you could talk to her." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Of course." Although I already knew what was wrong.
"Be careful they're keeping a watchful eye on all superhero activities now." He told me as he turned to walk to his SUV.
"Thanks for the warning. See ya." I smiled warmly at the man and got into my car to drive off. But, my mind was racing, Who is it? Who does she like? Maybe I could help. She said she's only just got these feelings for him and she's… Wait, it couldn't be… Dave? No, it can't be. Stay out of this one, she told you to drop it.
I was curious to why I was only wondering now and not when she told me but I shrugged it off.
I waited for my companions in the graveyard we had re-assigned as our meeting place. Red Mist had stolen our last one. It was spooky but I could cope. I warmed up, until I heard Dave nearby. I hadn't spoken to him or Mindy since I had taken her shopping. "Cator."
"You've made my name even shorter?" I asked, Dave shrugged. "Fine, Ass."
"Hey." He said humorously.
"You brought it on yourself, Ass." I laughed. He sat by me and I sighed. "How are you, Kick Ass?"
"I'm alright. You?"
"Eh, I'm alright." I shrugged.
"Have you noticed anything weird about Hit Girl lately?" He asked turning towards me, his bright eyes bearing into me.
"Don't worry, she'll get over it soon enough." I said thinking in a sing song voice, You, you, you, you, you are the reason!
"I'd hate to think you were talking about me, douche bags." Hit girl smiled and sat beside Kick Ass.
"We weren't saying anything mean, I promise." I told her. "You ready?"
"Always." She replied and all three of us jumped to our feet.
We left the graveyard stealthily but I soon felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. "Shit." I whispered, hiding in a shadow. "Hey, Bud." I answered solemnly to the annoyance of Hit Girl. She wanted to band phones on our missions, she said they made us easier to catch.
"Hey, I just thought I'd tell you, they're on the move."
"Who is?" I asked, slightly confused.
"Hit Girl and the rest of them, I just saw them leave the graveyard."
"You're monitoring them too?" My first major face palm moment. I hadn't told him not to monitor us.
"Yeah, and I think they're going to meet Red Mist." He sounded like some bad Sherlock Holmes slash David Attenborough impersonator, but he could give me knowledge.
"Where is he? Just so I know."
"A couple of doors down from the cinema."
"Thanks, Bud." I put down the phone and emerged from the shadows. I told Hit Girl and Kick Ass where Red Mist was and we started running.
I didn't feel my phone vibrate at first because of our pace but after the third call I picked it up.
"Bud, what is it?"
"They have a hostage." Came Bud's panicked voice through the phone.
"Red Mist? I need details, Bud."
"Late twenties, skinny, dark hair. Can't see much more, they're hiding most of him from the camera."
"How hurt is he?"
"He looks, pretty beaten up."
"Alright thanks." I put the phone down on the man again. "He has a hostage." I told my companions as we started running once again.
"Who is it?" Dave asked.
"We'll find out soon enough." I heard Hit Girl answer.
By the time we reached the cinema we were out of breath and I was terrified. I didn't know about the other two but I had been in a hostage situation, once trying to get the kidnapper to give back the hostage and once I was the hostage. Both times had gone badly. I know you may say, that I was still alive, but I hadn't saved anyone either time. I watched as men and women were tortured and I had ended up with so much foreign blood on my hands, I sometimes felt like it was still on me.
I shook off the abominable memory with a shiver.
We climbed up onto the cinema roof and stared at the large group nearby, jeering at a man cowering on the floor. "Red Mist." I shouted, leaping effortlessly over a gap in the roof tops. I landed in front of the group, "Leave him alone."
"Nice to see you again, Purple Eradicator." He smiled almost warmly, but I got the idea it was false. I looked down at the man they had kidnapped. "No." I whispered walking towards the figure.
The men moved closer to the man gagged and bound cowering on the floor. "What have you done to him?" I screamed, hysterically.
"Why do you care about this, maggot?" Asked Red Mist kicking the man, my brother.
"Do that again and I will rip off your cock and then I'll stuff it down your throat!" I growled. I had no idea where that sudden violent turn came from but I didn't care. That was my brother, my Toddie, no one but me was allowed to hurt him.
Red Mist's eyes grew and he moved away from my brother. The problem with my verbal attack against Red Mist was that I had now officially terrified Todd. His eyes brimmed with tears and the faint whiff of urine reached my nose.
"Let him go." I said, slowly and gruffly.
"Why should I?" Red Mist arrogantly asked, walking towards me. I looked over his shoulder involuntarily to see Mighty Mole and Eagle encroaching on my brother.
"Don't even think my threat doesn't apply to you two, as well!" I shouted at them over Red Mist's shoulder and he jumped. The two men backed off immediately.
"You will regret it, if you don't let him go now."
"What you gonna do, bitch?"
I yelled barbarously and punched him under his chin, I felt his teeth hit together painfully. I then kneed him in the crotch and as he came down to grab his balls, I hit his cheek and kicked his ass. He ended up sprawled on the floor, Hit Girl came to my aid but I stopped her before she could hurt him further.
"Let him go or I'll release her on you. None of us want that, because none of us want murder on our hands tonight." I said softly, in that way that super villains do when their captive has no other choice, or they think they don't have any way out of a situation and then the friends turn up. I added, more forcefully and slowly, "So, let him go."
Red Mist looked up at me, before rising to his feet. I could see a smile on his lips, the smile I hated. "No." He replied seriously.
I hadn't noticed the two men behind him pull out their guns and point them at me and my team. I heard three gun shots, although one sounded different, and then felt something hard hit me in the chest. I flew back a few feet and hit my head, hard on the gravel on top of the roof. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket but it was like it was too far away for me to pick up. I heard Red Mist and his cronies leave with my brother but I couldn't stop them.
I managed to get up after a minuet or two and saw Kick Ass rising nearby. I looked down to see Hit Girl unconscious on the floor, taser residue on her head. I pulled it out and threw it on the floor, ready for Inspector Penny to miraculously find it. It was the evidence I needed.
"Why didn't you help?" I whispered darkly to Kick Ass.
"I don't know what I could have done. I'm sorry-"
"Sorry, won't cut it this time. You could have both attacked the two guards." I couldn't control the feeling of failure I now possessed and I was going to blame Dave. He had hurt my brother once before, what did it matter if I added to his guilt.
"And they would have killed him." Dave whispered. I was about to rebuke him, when my phone went off again.
"What?" I asked, angrily.
"Wow, sorry I just wanted you to know that the hostage has been taken and everyone but Hit Girls group has gone. I'm on my way there now." Bud's soft voice said.
"Thanks, I'll be there shortly." I put down the phone and turned to the group. "We have to get out of here now."
Dave picked up Mindy and we left the roof quickly. I removed my wig, mask, cape and jacket and passed them to Dave. "Go, take her home. I'll get these from her tomorrow."
I tried to cool down before Bud arrived but I heard the sirens on his car way before I had wanted to.
Hope you enjoyed. Tell me what you think! Love you all! xxxx