Today is a bit longer chapter, enjoy!
As I stepped out of Dimensor's car and onto the pavement outside my dorm, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. I knew I would be safe in the cocoon of my own room, surrounded by the familiar sight and scent of my own things. I practically sprinted up the stairs and into the building, eager to escape the events of the evening.
Once inside my room, I collapsed onto my bed and pulled the covers up over my head, not wanting to face the outside world for a moment longer. Lenna was curious about what had happened and kept asking me questions, but I wasn't ready to talk about it yet. I just wanted to hide under the blankets and try to forget, even if it was for a moment.
My bracelet buzzed on my wrist, and I fumbled to pull it off, trying to silence the loud ringing. Next, I saw the message flash across the screen: "Kittygirl! That noob Brooklyn promised to stay away. Thanks for the dragon!" My heart skipped a beat as the events of the night before came rushing back to me, and the thought of it made my blood run cold.
I buried the thought and slipped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, where I made a silent promise to myself that I would never let the bracelet count to zero. As I splashed cold water on my face and looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me.
At least I had survived. I let out a sigh and tried to push the memories to the back of my mind as I made my way back to my room. Therapist said it wasn’t healthy, but she wasn’t here now, was she?
Lenna was sitting on the sofa scrolling through her phone as I entered. She looked up at me with her usual expressionless gaze and asked me what had happened. I hesitated for a moment, not sure if I was ready to revisit it, but I knew I couldn't avoid it forever.
Been there done that, almost killed myself. So, not again. I took a deep breath and began to recount how I met Major Brooklyn and Amouradent.
Lenna listened attentively as I told her the story of the night before, her expression shifting from amusement at the mention of the dragon to fear at the encounter with Major Brooklyn. But when I got to the part about the bracelet counting down to zero, her face turned deathly pale. She gulped nervously and asked, "Isabella, can I see the bracelet?"
I hesitated for a moment, but I reached up and gently tugged it off my wrist, then handed it to Lenna. She took it carefully in her hands, turning it over and examining it closely.
She kept her gaze fixed on the bracelet as she said, "You know, I've been reading a lot about superheroes lately, especially since my brother was supposed to be a villain. There's this concept of cosmic law that supposedly governs the actions of both superheroes and supervillains."
She handed the bracelet back to me and shrugged. "I'm not sure if it's real or not, but it might be worth asking that Dimensor person about it."
I took the bracelet from her, feeling a sense of curiosity bubble up inside me. "Don't worry, Lenna," I said, trying to reassure her. "I haven't forgotten about your brother, but with everything that happened, there really wasn't a chance to ask Dimensor about it. I'm sorry."
I stared at her apologetically, but she waved her hand dismissively. "Isabella, you almost died last night. We're just strangers, remember? You don't owe me anything." She gave me a small smile, but I could see the concern etched on her face.
I felt a pang of guilt wash over me. Lenna was right, we were just strangers, but she was somewhat beacon of normalcy. I made a mental note to try to find out more about her brother and see if there was anything I could do to help.
As the night wore on, Lenna and I ended up talking long into the evening. I felt like she was starting to open to me and trust me more, and it was a nice feeling. My therapist had always told me that having friends was half the battle when it came to overcoming my problems, and I was starting to see what she meant.
The next day was strange in a way. Despite everything that had happened the night before and my past experiences with danger and disaster, nothing bad happened. In fact, it was almost too normal. I half expected the walls in my classroom to collapse and reveal Steel Man aiming a missile at me, but the day passed uneventfully. I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with a tinge of disappointment.
For more than a week, nothing noteworthy happened and I was finally able to focus on my new student life. I was able to attend my classes, spend time with Lenna, and even catch up on some much-needed sleep. It felt good to be able to relax and not constantly be on edge, waiting for the next disaster to strike.
Unfortunately, the calm didn't last long. My bracelet rang again, sending a jolt of worry through my body. I fumbled to read the message: "Kittygirl I need u to grab someone. Dimy on way." My heart sank as I realized that my respite was over, and I would be pulled back to danger.
I grabbed my suitcase and rushed out the door, my mind racing. As I reached the hallway, I was interrupted by the familiar "uwu, ring ding ring, uwu", which filled the air, causing the other students passing by to burst into fits of giggles. I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I pulled out my phone and snapped, "YES?"
"Isabella!" came a Dimensor's panicked voice on the other end of the line. "She's announced an emergency! You can use the toiletoportes, number 45 in the main building, it's the last cubicle. Just flush, okay?"
I wanted to protest or ask what was going on, but Dimensor cut me off. "I don't have time for your useless questions, I need to prepare on my side. Hurry up and come unsuited." I shrugged and sprinted towards the toilets.
But when I arrived, I hesitated, because it was the boys' bathroom. I shook my head and tried to push away my reservations, telling myself that this was an emergency, and I had no time to worry about silly gender norms.
I burst inside, ignoring the surprised and offended looks of the boys who were, well, doing their things. I rushed towards the last cubicle, but as I reached for the handle, I realized it was locked.
"Can't you see the red indicator? Occupied!" an angry voice hissed from inside the cubicle.
I hesitated for a moment, wondering what to do. But then I remembered my superspeed and decided to use it to my advantage. I jumped up onto the parapet of the window and hoisted myself over.
The boy inside looked at me with eyes like saucers. Without thinking, I grabbed hold of his shirt and yanked him out of the cubicle, sending him flying across the room. As he went, he left a brown streak in his wake, causing me to yell "You cheater!" to give myself a few extra seconds. I quickly closed the door and locked it.
There was a commotion on the other side of the door as the boys reacted to my unexpected intrusion, but I tried to ignore it and focused on reaching out and pushing the flush button, hoping that it would transport me wherever I was supposed to be going.
Just as the toilet finished flushing, I heard a loud banging on the door. "You bitch! My phone!" the voice on the other side yelled. I glanced over at the edge of the toilet and saw that, sure enough, there was a phone sitting there. Before I could do anything, the toilet suddenly stopped flushing and I was sucked in, disappearing in less than a second.
I felt a sudden jolt as the toilet flushed me out, sending me tumbling out into the unknown. It was pitch black on this side and I had to blink a few times to get my bearings. I fumbled my way out of the cubicle and slowly made my way forward, my hands outstretched in front of me to feel any obstacles, but I still couldn't see anything.
I stumbled around in the darkness for what felt like an eternity, while searching for some way out of this sensory deprivation. Finally, my fingers brushed against a switch, and I flicked it on, relieved to see the room flood with light.
As my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I took in my surroundings. It was a small, cramped toilet with only two cubicles. And there, staring me in the face, was the closed door that I had been trying to escape through. My adversary again. I grabbed the handle and tried to turn it, but naturally it was closed. I let out a sigh of frustration. "Is this my weakness?"
Just as I was about to give up hope, the door suddenly flung open and there stood an FBI agent who had the same build as Dimensor. "Isabella, it's about time you got here," he grumbled, tossing a suit at my feet.
"What's this?" I asked, picking it up and examining it. It was an FBI uniform with a mask for my face. "Great, now I'm impersonating a federal agent," I muttered sarcastically.
He didn't seem to appreciate my sense of humor and just closed the door again without a word. "Fuck you too, Dimensor!" I yelled after him, feeling a sense of anger and frustration building up inside me.
I slipped into the clothes, noting that they were a bit too large for my small frame. "Are you done yet?" Dimensor's voice came from the other side of the door, accompanied by a loud banging. Instead of answering, I took out my frustration on the door, kicking it open and smashing Dimensor's nose in the process.
"Yes," I said through gritted teeth, feeling a sense of satisfaction at finally getting a reaction out of him.
I stormed out of the toilet, only to find myself in an even smaller room with another door at the end. Dimensor massaged his nose, looking more annoyed than ever, and opened the other door for me. It led to a street where the Dimencar was waiting. Without prompting, I climbed inside and settled into the back seat while he locked the doors behind us.
"Care to tell me what this is all about? What's the hurry?" I said, trying to keep my tone apologetic. Now that the anger had dissipated, I was starting to feel guilty for lashing out at him. After all, he was just a pawn like me.
Dimensor let out a sigh and began to explain. "The mark lives here in Baltimore, a few streets down. She teleported me to her lair and was furious beyond reason, yelling at me to get him, apparently, he killed someone and was disrespectful to her. So, she yelled to take you with me, incognito as agents. I have no idea who he killed, but she wants him alive, probably to burn him... Alive. That's all I know."
"Wait! We're in Baltimore? But that's like...another state!" I exclaimed, suddenly realizing what had happened. The teleport must have been some kind of long-range transport, taking us clear across the country.
I examined the outside, seeing that we were slowly driving through a suburban neighborhood. "Yeah, it is..." Dimensor's voice cracked with worry. "It's expensive to transport like this. I hope she can reimburse me."
In silence, we made our way to a picturesque house just as the sun was setting down. "I don't know what kind of criminal lives here, but his street name is Phantom Fighter. Maybe he's even a super, so be prepared for anything," Dimensor warned me as we pulled up to the curb.
Then he walked to the back of the car and pulled a gun, or what looked like a submachine gun, out of the trunk of the car. Because I wasn't American, I had no idea what type of weapon it was, but it looked deadly enough. He marched up to the door and banged on it, yelling "FBI, open up!"
Nobody answered Dimensor's banging on the door, just as I expected. After all, what kind of criminal would just willingly open up to the FBI?
He looked back at me and nodded, clearly having a plan in mind. "Isabella, I'm going to teleport us inside. Be prepared to-" he began to instruct me but was interrupted by the sound of loud footsteps on the roof of the garage. "He's escaping!" Dimensor yelled, his eyes scanning the surrounding area.
Dimensor teleported out and left me standing in front of the door, feeling a moment of panic wash over me. I quickly ran towards the car, and just as I had predicted, in less than ten seconds, Dimensor had the criminal in his grasp, a black bag over his head.
"Isabella! Pick up the gag and handcuffs from the trunk!" Dimensor yelled, gesturing towards the back of the car.
I ran with my superspeed towards the trunk and opened it up, finding it full of various items that I would find in a storage house, not a car trunk. But among the clutter, I managed to find the items he had requested. Only, as I looked at the gag and handcuffs more closely, I realized they were the kind typically used past bedtime. At least the handcuffs were plushy? I couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust wash over me as I grabbed them and ran back to Dimensor.
"Quickly, to the car!" he yelled at me, and I complied, rushing to the car and sliding into the back seat. As I heard him expertly gag and cuff the criminal, a grin spread across my face as I realized that this was a solo operation for him, and I didn't have to do anything. I relaxed back into my seat, relieved that I wouldn't have to get my hands dirty. No Major Brooklyn.
But then a second thought crossed my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if Dimensor did this kind of thing every day. Maybe to his girlfriends, or other people he was tasked with capturing? It was a disturbing thought, and one that made me feel a little uneasy. With his sleezy looks? Who knew. Regardless, I was just glad to be out of harm's way for the time being.
Dimensor sent a message to our gracious boss and turned on the radio, flipping through the stations until he landed on an 80's station. "Time to hit the road the old-fashioned way!" he exclaimed, a grin on his face.
I groaned at his words, not exactly thrilled at the idea of being stuck in the car with him and his slow driving speed for an extended period of time. The added bonus of the overly peppy 80's music only served to make me feel even more depressed. Maybe it was time to find a local therapist. It was clear that this was going to be a long and tedious journey, and I just hoped that it would be over soon.
He was driving at a painfully slow speed of 35 mph, and he tried to make conversation with me, but I was ignoring him, choosing instead to bury myself in the text on our university's page. Despite my best efforts to tune him out, Dimensor persisted. "So, Kittygirl," he said, breaking the silence. "I'm sorry."
I looked up from my phone, surprised by the apology. I couldn't help but wonder what he was sorry for. Was it for dragging me into this dangerous situation?
Perhaps it was time to let him explain before I passed any judgement. "Sorry for what?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.
"Do you remember when you got your powers? The squirrel?" Dimensor asked, his voice uncertain.
I glared at him, suspicion creeping into my voice as I answered. "Yes, clearly. What did you do?"
Dimensor looked nervous, fidgeting in his seat. "You... You weren't the target. Lenna was supposed to get powers."
My heart started pounding as my mind went into overdrive. So that was it. All of this was because of Dimensor and his machinations. I couldn't believe it. "Let me out." I said through gritted teeth. We were driving on the highway, but I didn't care. "LET ME OUT!" I almost screamed, my voice rising with anger and betrayal.
He looked taken aback by my outburst, but he quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road. I unbuckled my seatbelt and practically jumped out of the car, my breaths coming in short gasps. I couldn't believe that I had been so foolish, that I had trusted him and got caught up in all of this. "Isabella, wait!" Dimensor called out as I stormed away, but I didn't even turn back. I needed time to process what had just happened and figure out what to do next.
As I walked away from Dimensor and the car, my mind was racing with a mix of emotions - anger, betrayal, and confusion. I couldn't believe that everything that had happened to me, my powers, and my involvement in this "superhero" world was because of a mistake.
I walked for a while, not really paying attention to where I was going. Eventually, I found myself at a park, sitting on a swing and staring blankly at the pond in front of me. I didn't know what to do or who to trust.
I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts list, but I didn't know who I could call. I felt so alone and isolated. I knew that I needed to talk to someone, to get some answers, but the thought of reaching out to anyone was daunting.
My comcom rang again with the uwu ringtone, causing me to roll my eyes in annoyance. To my surprise, it was a woman named Pitcher on the other end. "Hi Kittygirl, we don't know each other yet," she began, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. "Dimensor is an old, stupid, lying piece of leezy fat, but he was only following orders. He was supposed to release the squirrel near Lenna and hope for the best, at least that was Amourardent's orders."
I was speechless, my mind racing with a plethora of emotions. Pitcher continued, "I know that's not an excuse, especially with the Death Timer looming over you. It sucks, but because of the timer, you need to work with us. Him. There's no way around it."
I remained silent, still trying to process everything that was being said. Pitcher then added, "Don't worry, I won't put you in the same situation with Dimensor again."
My confusion peaked, and I asked, "What do you mean? Isn't he the leader?"
There was a burst of laughter at the other end, Pitcher responding, "Dimensor, a leader? He wishes!"
Pitcher, her voice now serious, added, "Look, I know how difficult it is for a girl to be in the same room as Dimensor. So, the idea of being stuck in Dimencar with him must be a nightmare. I'll make sure to tell him to teleport, so don't worry. We'll bill Amourardent for it, since it was her order anyways." I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me as I heard Pitcher's words, and wanted to thank her, but she stopped the call.
As Dimensor drove his sleek blue Prius closer to the park, I reluctantly trudged towards him, my emotions a boiling cauldron inside of me. He offered a hasty apology, sputtering out that he "didn't mean to offend" me and that he had only been "honest."
I shot him a fierce glare, my anger still simmering beneath the surface, and said nothing, instead choosing to simply slide into the passenger seat of the car. Dimensor, sensing my fury, nervously cleared his throat and said, "Well, in time you will understand." I fixed him with another glare, my eyes piercing, as he quickly fumbled to push a button on the car's console, clearly eager to change the subject.
In a blink, we were back in the familiar garage of Amourardent. He pulled out our prisoner, a man who was struggling against his grip, and grunted as he forced him to move towards the door, a heavy metal portal that led to her lair.
He glanced at me, but I shook my head and the corners of my mouth turned upwards, a sly smirk spreading across my face. Payback, Dimensor. Payback.
He struggled to push the man inside her lair, his muscles bulging with the effort, but he managed after a while, and threw him to the ground with a thud.
Suddenly, Amourardent, the beautiful and fierce gamer girl, ran towards us, her eyes alight with excitement.
Amourardent put her foot, in black high-heel boots, next to the criminal's face, and with a swift movement, pulled the bag down. My pulse heightened, because our prisoner was just a kid, not more than sixteen, his face contorted in fear.
I almost rushed to stop her, but the idea of her controlling my Death Timer stopped me. The boy was staring at her with his eyes bulging, clearly in shock, his whole body trembling with fear.
She grinned sweetly, her lips curling into a cruel smile, and said "I said I will get you in real life, you cheater."
