“Actually, that seemed magical.”
“Aw. Thanks.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with myself now.”
Ms. Infinity looked at Hal with sympathy. “I know you’re trapped here, and I’m sorry. I feel terrible looking at you, and seeing the disappointment in your eyes. I know you had this beautiful image of me, and I feel like I just killed it. But I’m sorry if I simply can’t live up to the vision of perfection that you had in your mind. Did you think I would sweep you off your feet and make your dreams come true? I’m not a genie. You have to understand, I can’t worry about such things. There are things I have to do, no matter what.
“I have a tremendous responsibility. It doesn’t matter what I want, or what anybody else thinks. I have to perform, or there are serious consequences. Nobody else will do this work if I fail. I cannot fail. This is all up to me.”
“Alright. I’m sorry too. Look, is there any way I can help? Obviously I’m on this mission too. If there’s anything…”
“No Hal. This is my mission. I agreed to let you come along, but the fact remains that there is nobody who can do this except for me. I appreciate the offer though.
“I could use a chocolate fix, but no such luck up here. I’ll tell you what, though. Let’s go and make dinner. Then I’ll go on to my next move. You can go and use the pool for a while…”
“Wait! There’s a pool?”
“Right past the rec room. I never did give you a proper tour.”
“I don’t know. That would be nice and all. But I didn’t bring my suit…”
“Are you sure? What’s that behind your ear?” She reached behind his ear and pulled out a bathing suit.
“I should have seen that coming,” murmured Hal as she smiled. “Come to think of it, I didn’t bring much money either. Fifty grand or so wouldn’t be bad…”
“Like I told you, I’m not a genie.”
“How did you…”
“I have drawers full of clothes on this ship. That was telekinesis just now. I can create objects, as long as I have some kind of matter to work with, like I just did with the ice pack. A simple thing like that I could just make with a little air. A bathing suit would be tough if I just had the air to work with. And even if I could create money, that would be counterfeiting. I don’t break laws.”
“Pretty cool. One of these days, you’re going to have to give me a nice little magic show.”
“Magic show? I’m not a genie, and I’m not a magician either. And before you ask, no I’m not a witch either. Get this straight: Superhero! I save people, protect the Earth, and so forth. I don’t grant wishes. I don’t put on shows, and while we’re at it, I don’t need any lousy broomstick when I want to fly.”
“Thanks for clearing that up. I guess I never really did appreciate the distinctions until now. I should write it down…”
“Yeah, you would, but I bet you forgot to bring a pen.”
“Well that’s outa left field!”
“It’s alright. That’s why you have me. C’mon, you spacey cashier. Let’s have dinner. Frozen chicken nuggets on me. Or do you prefer the fish fillet?”
As the companions finished their dinner, Ms. Infinity looked at Hal longingly. “So Hal, It’s great to be with you. The thing is, I’m afraid I’ve got to go right back out again. I’ve had to carefully consider my next move. I started questioning Misery. But here’s the thing. She is now neutralized. I can get back to her later. I have to think of other priorities. You see, there was no way she could have been acting alone.”
Hal listened intently as his companion spoke. He was feeling overwhelmed by the scene unfolding around him, but he was doing his best to keep up. Whatever decision Ms. Infinity made would affect him as well. He had a swelling and a throbbing headache to remind him of that reality. “Okay,” he said, “So that means…”
“I’m going to search Misery’s space station.”
“So, can I ask you something?”
“You just did.”
“I know. I know,” said Hal, “But you know, I wouldn’t mind knowing what’s going on here. What brought you to this decision?”
“Hal, you’re starting to pry here. Remember whose mission this is.”
“Yeah, I know, and I accept it, but please understand, I have to live with this decision.”
Ms. Infinity shook her head and sighed “Alright. It came from questioning Misery. She was not very forthcoming about anything, but when I brought up the space station, she simply wouldn’t answer. That was pretty telling. Clearly it’s a loose end that needs to be tied up.”
“Thank you,” said Hal, “But can I ask you something else? What are the plans for Misery? Is this indefinite? Are you going to release her? Kill her?”
“Now you really are prying.”
“Well don’t you think maybe I have a stake in this?”
“Hal, I’m sorry, but I simply can’t discuss this now. I’m afraid a lot of this is over your head.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Okay,” said Ms. Infinity, “Maybe that wasn’t the most diplomatic way to put it. But there is a world of things here that you don’t understand, and I’m afraid I can’t explain them to you. And Hal, when I say there’s a loose end out there, I mean it’s potentially urgent. This is something I must attend to right away. Why don’t you come see me off.”
As Ms. Infinity led Hal to the atrium, he was visibly nervous. “Can you please listen to one thing?” he said, “How do you know she isn’t deliberately misleading you? What if this is an ambush?”
Ms. Infinity stopped looked back at Hal in annoyance. “Now Hal, I’m afraid you are going to have to remember who the superhero is here. I take risks every day. You are going to have to trust me. You know I can take care of myself.”
“Misery wasn’t easy for you to beat, was she? What if there are more like her?”
“Hal, like I just said, I can take care of myself.”
“Please, Bonnie. Please be careful out there.”
“’Bonnie?’ Okay. Call me that if you want. Just not among folks when I’m in this form. You know I have a secret to keep.”
“Not the point. I’m worried about you.”
“You are? You know what? Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek.
“Thank you. Now are you sure about this?”
“Listen Hal. This is something I have to do. Do you understand that Misery has put the entire Earth in tremendous danger? Before this mission, she sent a gigantic asteroid flying towards us. I had to stop it, or else who knows what might have happened. The threats you saw me deal with were also extremely dangerous. This mission is not for fun. There is an existential crisis here for our entire world. You get that, right?”
“Yeah,” said Hal, his expression showing a deepening understanding and fear.
“It may be an ambush, but if it is, then it’s only more important that I face it. Whatever or whoever is involved, I have to fight and neutralize the threat. This may be extremely dangerous. I understand your concern. But Hal, that’s my life. Do you understand? It’s my responsibility to protect our world. Comes with the powers. Nobody else is around to do this if I don’t.”
“Isn’t there another way to do this? Can’t we like, shoot at them or something?”
“Hal, honey,” said Ms. Infinity, “This ship isn’t like that. It’s not equipped for a space battle, such as you may have in mind. Anyway, you don’t need to understand Centerian level science to see that it really doesn’t work the way it does in the movies. I know what you’re thinking of. I’ve seen where the bad guy hits a button, and like there’s a laser or something aimed at a target, maybe even a whole planet, and the whole thing blows up. Right? Like that? So you see, that wouldn’t work. Of course Misery didn’t try that. She went for humongous projectiles and the like…Hal? Are you okay?”
“Well sure,” said Hal, “I mean, I get it. It’s just a little disconcerting to hear you tell me that something like
that is too fanciful.”
“I’m sorry. Why should that be?”
“You know what? Never mind.”
“Anyway, please also understand that I don’t believe in shooting first. What if there are innocent people there?”
“Yeah. I understand.”
“So listen. It is a few hundred thousand miles away, so I will not need you to shoot any video. I am not bringing the ship any closer. That is a risk that should not be taken. Watch the ship, will you?”
“Well, obviously. I mean, where else am I going?”
“Good point. But there’s something else to remember. Whatever you do, do not go near the prison cell. Misery is clever, and she might find ways of tricking you. You don’t have to worry about her well being. Her prison cell has all the amenities she needs, and she already has provisions to last her a very long period of time. Anyway, at all costs, never do anything to free her.”
“That’s for sure! That’s one thing you need not worry about.”
“I have to go. Thank you Hal.”
“Be careful, Bonnie.”
Their eyes locked. There was so much more they wanted to say to each other, yet somehow they did not say it. After a few seconds, Ms. Infinity said, “So long Hal. I expect to see you later. Don’t worry too much.”
Hal watched as Ms. Infinity disappeared once again through the ceiling. As he watched, he felt a growing sense of unease and apprehension.
15 Into the Unknown
You have no doubt read many stories where a character has been warned to stay away from someone or something, not to open a box or a door, or to free a prisoner, or something of that nature. Inevitably it seems the person’s foolish curiosity wins out, and chaos breaks out as a result. You can rest assured that this not one such story. Hal did not have to be told twice not to go near Misery. Being alone on a vessel with a powerful sociopath who was bent on Earth’s destruction was terrifying enough, and one warning was enough warning for him.
Ms. Infinity had told him before that her prison was strong enough for any of her kind, and he pretty sure he believed her. But he had his reservations. He was even more concerned about his companion’s venture onto the space station. He did not doubt her powers, or her intelligence, or her overall capability, but he was starting to feel concern at her capacity for her hubris.
As Bonnie Boring, she had always been one of the strongest workers at The Big Box. However he had also seen her get in trouble a number of times for the most foolish of reasons. She had frequently taken over registers without signing the previous occupant out to sign herself in, a huge and unnecessary infraction that saved her only seconds. When the company ran a promotion for “The BoxCard,” she invariably declined to do her part, potentially risking her job in the process. All anyone had to do was simply ask once in each transaction if the customer was interested in the store’s credit card. These weren’t issues of laziness, just arrogance. She just couldn’t be bothered with following orders.
When he thought about it now, this mission was showing much of that same headstrong tendency. She had told him that she could handle Misery. There had never been a word about taking her prisoner. It was clear to him that she had never expected this to happen; it was simply an unplanned detour. He was also pretty sure he knew why she wouldn’t tell him her plans for Misery. It was because she didn’t have any.
He was now getting over the feeling of disappointment in the superhero he had known in the media and in a few brief encounters. It was coming home to him that this was really someone he had already known for nearly two years, and that if anything, her behavior was completely consistent with everything he knew about her.
It was easy to lose sight of this even long after he had discovered it. Remembering who she really was demanded disbelieving one’s own eyes and ears. Her secret identity was very effectively executed. After all, she was able to transform herself into a completely different being. She also used a superficially different persona, seeming more powerful and authoritative as the awesome Ms. Infinity than she did as the modest Bonnie Boring, customer service girl. Yet over time, he was getting to see the same habits coming out. The longer he spent with her, the more he came to see the same overall personality. She was even addressing him the same way.
He recognized her completely now. This was the same Bonnie: Highly intelligent, and headstrong. Friendly and warm, but at turns brash and dismissive. Arrogant but also extremely giving, and caring in her heart, and altogether wonderful where it mattered.
He thought about the time since he had known her. She was the first person he had known at The Big Box. He had met her there before he worked there, when he was just a customer. They would chat for some time after each transaction, and clearly they were enjoying each other’s company.
After he started working there, she became unpredictable. Sometimes she would be unexpectedly rude to him, often putting him down in front of their friends. Yet she would also frequently go out of her way to include him if he was being left out a conversation.
After some months, she was promoted to customer service. Yet she would still frequently step in as needed around the registers. She helped a lot of people out, but it was obvious to him and everyone else who most of her attention went to. He thought himself lucky. He considered her attention to be a precious gift. She loved to rescue him from tough customers, and he had to admit to himself that he just loved that. And if she criticized his work, then that too was a gift. She knew her stuff. Most of the time she was right. She helped to make him a better worker.
Let others call her bossy or controlling. As far as he was concerned, she was a natural leader. He admired her. She wasn’t perfect, but she was good and strong, and honest as well. He appreciated her attention. She was showing that she really cared for him. If he never acknowledged it outright, he knew it, and he really cared for her.
Did she know it?
When he thought about, he wasn’t sure if she knew. It was obvious to one and all that he was crushing on Ms. Infinity. But then that wasn’t the same thing, was it? No. That was an illusion. He had now learned that lesson. But did Bonnie know that he cared for Bonnie? If he was perfectly honest, he didn’t think she did.
Would he ever be able to tell her? He had blown a chance before she left, and it might now be too late. The danger she was in was far beyond his help.
For now there was nothing to do but wait.
Ms. Infinity flew out again into the void of space. She had not wanted to leave things the way she did. There were so many things she wanted to say. But somehow, she couldn’t be sure how to put them into words. She hoped she would have the opportunity to tell Hal how she felt.
She was feeling increasingly nervous about the possibility of facing more people from her native world. Her battle with Misery had presented her with a sobering reality: she was not always guaranteed to win. True, she had always beaten Misery before. But then those were many years ago, in her youth when she was on the run. On at least one occasion, she remembered Misery blaming her loses on the wind somehow being against her. But then she also remembered a far more disturbing event. Misery was actually close to defeating her when a strange and feral beast came out of nowhere and attacked. Luckily for her, it was only interested in Misery, and it chased her out of range. She never did find out how that encounter ended, let alone make sense of the incident. There were a number of disturbing moments like that from her childhood that she could never explain. It only made her that much more uneasy revisiting a figure from her old world.
As she approached the space station, it became clear that it was much larger than it had appeared from her ship, or even during her battle with Misery. She had assumed that it was maybe double or triple the size of the average space ship. It was more like a small colony. What had looked a façade of one or two stories was in fact a wall of great height. It had been hard to detect this; there were no windows, or other features to break up the vertical aspect. When she landed on the outside platf
orm, she suddenly felt dwarfed by the structure.
Were the outside wall a building on a city block, it would have been a skyscraper. Yet it was a vast, metallic wall, continuing far in both directions. The top was hard to make out. In the darkness, it seemed to fade into the void of space. There were openings at intervals of perhaps a thousand feet. The platform outside was quite large, clearly intended for landing space ships, or for stationing ships for battle. The surface was like a dark pavement, hard and rough with a good traction. She was surprised to see she could take a breath. The object was big enough to have an atmosphere.
Nervously she began to probe through the walls, seeking for signs of life. At first she saw little but makeshift huts and towers. But after a minute she suddenly saw strange looking men running towards an entrance. But she noticed too late. By this time, similar men were arriving from every angle, armed to the teeth, weapons aimed at her.
With nothing else to do, Hal began to explore Starship Infinity. First he used the pool, and indeed it was nicer than any hotel’s pool he had ever seen. In fact it was Olympic sized, fully heated, with lounge chairs and a full supply of towels. There was a hot tub, complete with jets, as well as saunas and showers. There was also an exercise room adjoining it. As he explored farther, he was only moderately surprised to find a tennis court.
The place was beginning to remind him of the stories his grandparents had told him of the Catskills Resorts of years ago. They were great once, but they were now run down. This might well have had them beat, except that the food was bad.
But obviously, there was one other thing missing, and that was the rest of humanity. He was here alone, completely alone now since his superhero companion was missing.
Now that he thought about it, this had a more disquieting resemblance. It was starting to make him think of the large, clean, and mostly empty capital cities built by dictators as monuments to their greatness. This had different visuals, to be sure. There were no towers or obelisks. Things here were more rounded, with narrow, ornate entrances leading to long hallways. But they were still oversized and heroic in scale. The overarching feel was an eerily quiet testament to its creator’s power.
Ms. Infinity (Book 1): Earth's Greatest Hero Page 16
