Girl Power

by PT Dilloway

  “It is quite fetching if I must say,” Jasper says.

  She touches the necklace with one hand. A tear leaks from her right eye. More threaten to come out and ruin her mascara and eyeliner before she even gets to the door. Mom had worn this necklace every day—except the one she died. Then it had been at the jeweler’s to have the clasp repaired after Robin had torn it when latching onto his mother’s neck. Though it was stupid, Robin had blamed the necklace—and herself—for their deaths that night. Robin had kept it locked up in the vault since Mom’s death, not having the heart to get rid of something so beautiful.

  “I’ll take it off,” Jasper says.

  “No,” she whispers. “I…I think you’re right. I think Mom would want me to have it.”

  She dabs at her eye with a tissue and then stands up. “I’d better get downstairs.”

  She’s on the last step when there’s a knock on the door. Robin brushes a hand along the dress while Jasper hurries past to get the door. She waits on the bottom step for him to usher Robin’s “date” inside.

  Melanie Amis shuffles into the foyer, her head looking down. She wears a pale yellow dress that’s just as frilly as Robin’s. She hasn’t mastered heels yet, so she wears flats, which will at least help to even out the height difference between them. Like Robin’s, her brown hair is pinned back with one tendril framing the right side of her face.

  “Hi,” Melanie says.

  “You’re looking very fetching tonight, Miss Amis.”

  “Thanks.”

  When Melanie looks up, Robin sees she ditched the glasses, at least for tonight. “You got contacts?” Robin asks as she walks across the foyer.

  “Mom says they bring out my ‘natural beauty,’” Melanie says. A little of her old spirit returns when she says, “I wanted to get some red ones or maybe yellow ones.”

  “That would have been awesome.”

  “If you girls wouldn’t mind, I’d just like to get a picture,” Jasper says.

  Robin squeezes in tight against Melanie. They both smile slightly before Jasper pushes the button. He takes a half-dozen shots, not understanding the mechanics of a digital camera. “You girls have a nice time,” he says. “Remember, your curfew is midnight.”

  “I know,” Robin says.

  “And no monkey business.”

  “I’m sure we don’t have to worry about uncovering criminal conspiracies at the prom.”

  “That may be so, but I know you.”

  “We aren’t going to get in any trouble. We’re going to go, drink some stupid punch, listen to some crappy music, and come home, all right?”

  “That a girl.”

  She leans up to kiss him on the cheek. Then she takes Melanie’s hand to lead her outside, to where the limo is waiting. They could have had Jasper drive, but Melanie’s mother insisted on using their car. She’s gotten much more protective of her son since he became her daughter.

  Once they’re on their way, Robin pats Melanie’s knee. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks. So do you. That necklace is really pretty.”

  “It belonged to my mom.”

  “Oh.”

  Robin sighs and turns to the window. Since Melvin became Melanie, she’s become so shy. It is a big change, as Robin knows all too well, but it shouldn’t have changed her personality that much. Sometimes Robin wonders if she should ask Allison to run some tests to check for some abnormality. Maybe Roboto’s ray had done something to her mind the way it had Major Dalton, turning her into a simpering coward.

  But Robin suspects it’s just plain old psychological trauma. She wouldn’t think it would be this hard for Melanie since she wasn’t a jock or anything like that. How big of a difference was it to be a female geek instead of a male one?

  She turns back to Melanie and says, “I’m glad you decided to come. I’d hate to do this by myself.”

  Her new therapist, Dr. Kitty Hanover, had suggested Robin go to the senior prom to aid her “transition.” As if wearing this stupid five hundred dollar dress and these ludicrous heels and Mom’s necklace would have her baking cookies and entering beauty pageants or whatever she and Jasper thought Robin should be doing with her life.

  Even if Dr. Hanover hadn’t suggested it, Robin would have asked Melanie to come. For one thing only losers showed up alone and who else could Robin ask? She doesn’t have any other friends at Swearingen. There was that three hundred pound kid with the harelip who had asked her out. At the moment Harelip might be more scintillating conversation.

  When the limo stops at the curb by the hotel hosting the prom, Melanie remains frozen in place. “We’re here,” Robin says. “Come on.”

  “I don’t want to go,” Melanie whispers. “They’ll all make fun of me.”

  “No one will make fun of you.”

  “They all think I’m a freak.”

  “They thought that before you became a girl.”

  “That’s not funny.”

  Robin leans forward to brush the stray lock of hair behind Melanie’s ear. “Mel, I know it’s hard. It hasn’t been a cakewalk for me either—”

  “But no one knows you used to be a boy. They all know who I used to be.”

  “Listen to me, Mel. You don’t have to take any shit from those trust fund brats in there. You’re a hero. You saved all their lives. You saved my life. Hell, you saved the Super Squad! If it weren’t for you, Roboto would have turned all of them into sissies who’d be doing his bidding. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and walk in there with your head up.

  “Maybe those jerks think you’re a freak, but so what? I know you’re smart and brave and sweet—” She stops as her lips touch Melanie’s. She’s never wondered what it’s like to kiss a girl as a girl, but it doesn’t seem any different than she remembers. The only difference is this is Melanie, her best friend. Her only friend. She pulls back. “I’m sorry.”

  Melanie’s eyes are wide. She blinks a few times and then whispers, “That was awesome.”

  “You think so?”

  “Can we try it again?”

  It’s twenty minutes of kissing and pawing later when they finally go into the hotel’s ballroom for the prom. They walk in arm-in-arm to display their confidence. Heads turn in their direction. Melanie stiffens as there are a few snickers, but Robin keeps her from running away. “It’s all right. I’ve got you.”

  They go over to the bar for a couple of Shirley Temples. Robin would love a real drink, but this is a high school event so all the booze is put away. She and Melanie squeeze into a corner to sip from their cups.

  The bad girl who harassed Robin the day she and Melvin met stomps up to them with her entourage in tow. They’re dressed in everyday clothes as their way to protest against the establishment or whatever. The bad girl sneers at Robin. “Brought your girlfriend, huh?”

  “So did you.”

  “You think you’re funny, pipsqueak?” the girl shoves Robin back into the wall. “You and the freak should go to one of those lesbian bars to hang out with the rest of the queers.”

  “Leave us alone,” Melanie says quietly.

  “Or what? You’ll cry like a little bitch and have your girlfriend save you?”

  “No.” Melanie does a textbook leg sweep to knock the girl off her feet. This is followed by a kick to the girl’s midsection. “I’ll save myself.”

  The girl’s entourage glares at Melanie. Robin takes a step forward. “You girls want to throw down, we’re ready. Or you can take Princess here and get lost.”

  The girls study Robin and Melanie for a moment. Then they grab their leader by the armpits to haul her away. Robin’s sure they’ll plot revenge for on Monday, but for now she and Melanie have won.

  Robin pats Melanie on the shoulder. “That was great. You’re a quick learner.”

  “Thanks.”

  Perhaps for the sake of irony, the DJ plays “Endless Love,” which Robin remembers fro
m her first senior prom. Back then she had danced with Stacey Chang, who had been the only non-white girl who wasn’t serving drinks. During the dance Robin had copped a feel of Stacey’s ass, which had prompted her to slap Robin.

  “How are your dance moves?” she asks Melanie.

  “Um—”

  “Come on, it’s not much different than fighting. Only no one gets hurt.” She takes Melanie’s hand and drags her out onto the dance floor. “Just lean up against me and take it nice and slow.”

  Robin keeps her hand on Melanie’s back as they glide along the dance floor. Melanie rests her head on Robin’s shoulder. Robin can hear her friend crying softly. “What’s wrong? If it’s about that girl—”

  “No. I’ve…I’ve been wanting to do this with you for months. Since you saved me from Barf. After what happened…I didn’t think I’d ever get to.”

  “Well you were wrong, weren’t you?”

  Melanie looks up at her with tears in her eyes. “I love you.”

  Robin comes to a stop on the dance floor. Her mouth opens but no sound will come out. She hasn’t said the L-word to anyone since Christy Connor was butchered. She hadn’t let herself get involved with anyone since then, to protect herself—and them. But as Jasper would be quick to point out, she’s not Midnight Spectre anymore. She’s just Robin Holloway, a scrawny little high school senior with a C- average.

  “I…I love you too,” she whispers.

  “You mean it?”

  “Would I have tongued you in the limo if I didn’t?” she says, trying to put some of her old sarcasm into the words. They stagger off the dance floor, back to their corner as the song winds down.

  “I didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”

  “No, you didn’t ruin anything.”

  “I wanted to say it in the hospital, but Mom was always around or a nurse and then I wasn’t sure how you felt about me and by the time I got back to school it was easier not to say it, you know?”

  “I know.”

  “Are you mad?”

  “What? No. I’m just…surprised. The way you’ve been acting since the change, I didn’t really expect it.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t have tongued you in the limo if I didn’t, would I?”

  “Smart ass,” Robin says with a smile. She takes Melanie’s hand. “Come on, Jasper’s not expecting us until midnight. Let’s ditch these losers and have some fun.”

  They’re back in the limo making out when Robin’s phone rings. From the ringtone, she knows it’s Jasper. “It’ll go to voicemail,” she whispers to Melanie.

  It doesn’t, which means he must be using the phone in the bunker. That can only mean it’s an emergency. “Hold on,” she says, leaving Melanie with her lips puckered in mid-kiss. She takes the phone out of her purse. “What’s up?”

  “Colonel Storm just called.”

  “Storm? I thought he retired.”

  “It appears he’s been reactivated since Major Dalton’s arrest.”

  “Oh. What does he want?”

  “He wouldn’t give specifics, but he indicated there’s a grave threat to national security.”

  “So? Have him call Starla or Allison. That’s what they’re on the payroll for.”

  “He already has. He indicated he would like you to sit in on the briefing. Only as a consultant, of course.”

  Robin looks over at Melanie, who’s wearing a concerned look. The last time Robin stuck her nose in a grave threat to national security Melvin ended up as Melanie. Robin promised herself after that she would retire Midnight Spectre. Still, if it’s only as a consultant—

  Melanie snatches the phone from her. “We’ll be right there,” she says and then pushes the off button.

  “You heard that?”

  “I got the gist.”

  “Look, Mel, you can’t be part of this. Not after what happened—”

  “No, Rob, you’re right: I’m a hero. We’re heroes. We saved the Super Squad. We saved the whole world. We can’t quit now when the world needs us.”

  “They only asked for me. You can stay home, where it’s safe.”

  “The hell with that. We’re a team: Midnight Spectre and the Outcast, remember?”

  Robin considers this for a moment. The pleading in Melanie’s eyes is finally too much for her. “Let’s do it.”

  Also By P.T. Dilloway:

  Dark Origins (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 0): A prequel to the Tales of the Scarlet Knight series, Dark Origins tells how Merlin appears in ancient Britain to find a warrior to do battle with an evil goddess who seeks to rule the world.

  A Hero’s Journey (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 1): Dr. Emma Earl never wanted to be a hero. But when she finds a magic suit of armor that can deflect bullets and turn her invisible, she becomes part of an ancient war between good and evil. It’s up to Emma as the latest incarnation of the heroic Scarlet Knight to save Rampart City from the fiendish Black Dragoon and his plan to rule first the city and then the whole world.

  Time Enough to Say Goodbye (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 2): Eighteen months ago Dr. Emma Earl took up the mantle of the Scarlet Knight and saved the world. Now comes an even deadlier threat in the form of a young woman with the power to alter time and her mysterious partner known as the Watchmaker. In order to prevent them from unleashing hell on Earth, Emma will have to sacrifice the people she cares about the most.

  The Hazards of Love (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 3): For five years Dr. Emma Earl has regretted the night she sent Dan Dreyfus away. Now Dan finally returns...with a wife named Isis! It soon becomes apparent Isis isn't who she claims to be and has her sights set on conquering the world!

  Change of Heart (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 4): When magic causes Emma to switch bodies with her best friend Becky, they get a chance to walk a mile in each other's shoes.  But that could prove deadly to both of them as a new threat arrives in Rampart City, one perhaps too powerful for even the Scarlet Knight!

  Betrayal Begets Blood (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 5): After the Scarlet Knight's ally the Sewer Rat is nearly killed by a bomb, it begins a wave of terror that grips all of Rampart City. But who's behind the attacks? And what is their ultimate plan?

  Future Shock (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 6): A magic spell sends Emma twenty years into the future, where she meets her daughter Louise.  As a terrible evil returns to Rampart City bent on revenge, Louise has to take up the mantle of the Scarlet Knight to save her mother and the rest of the world.

  Living Sacrifice (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 7): For two years Emma Earl thought her daughter was dead.  Then a woman comes to her with news that Louise Earl is still alive!  Emma must travel then to Russia to confront Louise's kidnapper and rescue her daughter.  But as Emma soon learns, this is only part of a fiendish plot to destroy the world.

  The Heart of Emma Earl (Tales of the Scarlet Knight, Volume 8): In the epic conclusion to the Tales of the Scarlet Knight series, Rampart City has gone missing--as has the Scarlet Knight. No one seems to remember either has ever existed, except for Tim Cooper. Now Tim has to venture into a parallel universe to find Emma Earl, the only one who can prevent darkness from swallowing the entire world.

  Chance of a Lifetime (Chances Are #1): When Detective Steve Fischer investigates a robbery, he’s murdered by a gangster and injected with an experimental drug known as FY-1978. Thanks to the drug, Steve comes back—as a woman. Now Stacey Chance has to find those responsible and make them pay.

  Second Chance (Chances Are #2): When Stacey Chance and her friend Madison are kidnapped by a Chinese scientist, they’re given a dose of an experimental drug, one that causes them to revert back to children. As they search for a cure, Stacey and Madison get a second chance at childhood.

  Last Chance (Chances Are #3): Five years after she first became a young woman thanks to an experimental drug, Stacey Chance has come to enjoy her new life. That life gets ev
en better when the man she loves pops the question. But when that experimental drug starts to wear off and an old enemy from Detective Steve Fischer's past resurfaces, Stacey's wonderful new life is thrown into chaos.