2.16.2 – Anything that can go wrong…

2.1 - Edited by: Rellawing, AlliterativeArts - 3/4/2021

“Go ahead and finish your steak,” Aurora told Sarah as she stood, staring at Black Angel. Sarah checked back over her shoulder to see what had caught Aurora’s interest so intently, tilting her head in confusion when she didn’t see anything of interest.

“Oh, uh, thank you, but why are you spacing out?” Sarah asked.

“It’s nothing. I’ll just be in the ladies room for a few.” Aurora replied calmly, tossing in a disarming wink even as she inwardly steeled herself against the possibility of having to fight Black Angel.

As she moved quickly to the bathroom, she readied herself for action but didn't see anything that might be a threat when she passed through the door. It was a single toilet bathroom so she locked the door behind her to allow for some secured privacy. After a moment of scanning the room, she finally looked towards the mirror where Aurora found her foe.

Aurora spun to confront Black Angel, but the villainess wasn’t behind her.

“You have no idea the trouble it’s been to even try and make contact with you,” Black Angel spoke, her voice coming evenly from every direction. Leona turned to face the villainess in the mirror to lock eyes with the dark one as she went on, “Well, I’m sure you remember it fondly. I would like to say that it’s not so easy to get rid of me, but as you can plainly not see, there's not much I can do for now,” as she spoke, the ne'er do well walked towards Aurora in the reflection and reached out from the mirror to touch Leona’s face before yanking back on contact as though the hand had been scalded by something red-hot.

Black Angel shook her head. “How truly vexing. There’s nothing I can do to you,” she said,  frustrated. “You have no idea how difficult it has been just to arrange this little conversation with you. Ah well, I suppose that’s all spilt milk under the bridge now, ha. I wanted to start fresh since our first encounter left plenty to be desired.” She put on a megawatt smile like she was again seeing a long lost acquaintance. “Let’s be friends from now on, hm?”

Black Angel started to pace back and forth around the room in the mirror. “I know something’s been troubling you and I think I know just the way to help. I can feel it… something offends you, something hurts you so let me out for let’s say… an hour. I’ll happily help fix all those pesky concerns right up!” She pressed her thumb to her index finger. “Just for an hour. A pittance to solve your problems. What do you say to that?” She beamed brightly, narrowing her eyes to flutter her lashes at Leona.

“I can deal with my own problems, thanks,” Leona sighed. “I wouldn’t be much of a person if I can’t do that much. No one said life was going to be easy. Being a good person sometimes means not doing things the way that would best serve yourself.”

Leona kept her eyes firmly fixed on the trickster on the other side of the glass, “Yeah, I’m extremely annoyed, frustrated… I feel powerless. Sarah is committed to what her parents want, even if the camp is mistreating her. And I suspect it’s worse than she says when you see that thousand mile stare when she talks about certain things.” Taking a breath to maintain her emotions, Leona had to purposely loosen her fists as her nails were starting to dig into her palms.

“The fact is, I’m seriously reflecting on my feelings at the moment. It’s looking hopeless and some things aren’t meant to be.” Leona sighed and shook her head. “Bottom line: ‘what will be, will be’. I don’t want her to get hurt, but I have to be patient and help her as a friend.”

“You know, I have some experience with cults,” Black Angel shrugged. “I’ve started a few, mostly for experimentation. If you fear she’s being brainwashed, the simplest thing to do is to eliminate the cult in question.” She lifted a hand and her index finger extended. “I wouldn’t mind sparing an hour - and dismantle their little Camp for you.”

Black Angel got a gleeful look in her eye as her smile twisted into something slightly different than it had been before, “Wrathful and direct, yes… and I won’t even injure anyone you would want to spare. What do you say to that?”

Aurora glared at Black Angel. “No. I won’t give you a toehold. Not under any circumstance. I knew that if I accepted this power, I’d always face the possibility of ending up like you did, but I won’t let that happen. For my sake above anyone else’s.”

“Sarah can do what she likes and live how she wishes. It’s not my business to force my beliefs on others. The law protects that ‘cult’ because they have rights too… even if it’s foolish parents like Sarah’s who give them this power and these rights.”

“What I will not do, however, is take those responsibilities and choices into my own hands. I won’t be like you.” Leona sighed heavily as Black Angel began to fade.

Black Angel scowled as she responded, “Then you are a fool. A ‘hero’ is supposed to save people, no? If their leaders demanded it of them, I suppose that means that you would let those hapless fools die if that was ‘their choice’ then? Pathetic!” She snarled.

Aurora turned her back on Black Angel and unlocked the bathroom door. Black Angel yelled after Leona, “You know I’m right! You know it! ...Very well, farewell for now, but thank you for one thing at least,” she said, her voice changing to a less strident tone as it faded.

“I got to know a little more about my new best friend.”

And she was gone again.

Upon stepping out of the restroom, Aurora was shocked to see there were police officers standing with Sarah at their table. She recognized one of the officers from when she and Quinn were arrested outside the Camp a few days back.

They were speaking with Sarah but their backs were currently turned away from the restrooms. Sarah had somehow managed to position them so they wouldn’t see Aurora when she came out. Aurora turned away and listened.

“...I have no idea,” Sarah said, “she left a while ago. And for the millionth time, I’ve never met her before today and have no idea if she knows me. Does this have anything to do with the rumors at camp?”

“These are just routine questions,” that same recognizable officer said, “the director is very worried about you, let’s get you back.”

“Do you think she might come back?” Sarah asked.

“We don’t know, Miss Namias. Let’s go, come on.” There was the rattling of chains as an officer removed a pair of handcuffs from his belt. Aurora's eyes widened as her suspicions were confirmed. The contrast between these officers’ words and actions were at odds. They were going to arrest a child when she was harmless and helpless?! For what? She wasn’t resisting!

“Wait a minute, I’m not fighting this,” Sarah raised her hands with a pleading look. “I’m just saying maybe if you think there’s something going on… maybe you should call my parents and let me go home?” Sarah asked hopefully. She DID want out from the camp, no matter what she said!

The officer ignored Sarah’s begging and handcuffed her. “Ow! That’s too tight!” Sarah complained quickly.

“A lot of kids try to run off from the camp early. I’m not taking any chances,” the officer said, “Now let’s go before you cause any more of a scene.”

“Ow… stop pulling so hard,” Sarah protested as they almost lifted her right from the chair and marched her away. Aurora shook her head as Sarah was escorted away.

A new disguise was necessary to avoid detection. Changing her hair’s color again to be certain that the staff who surely had given a description of her appearance to the officers, she also modified her clothes to a copy of one of the waiter’s outfits. With narrowed eyes, Aurora snarled angrily as she stalked after them. The table caught Aurora’s eye as she passed it, reminded that they’d eaten part of their meal. With a sigh she paused to fish money from her wallet and flipped the bills onto the table and rushed onwards.

Sarah looked like a frightened little helpless animal, trapped. While she was being rushed to the door, she looked over her shoulder at Aurora and her lips twisted as though she wanted to say something but she merely bit her lip with a blush, and ultimately looked down and away. Her face softened as if to say, ‘Thanks for trying anyway’.

She was hustled outside the restaurant ahead of the police and as soon as they were out and into the lot, they started loading Sarah up into the back of their squad car. Since the disguise served no further purpose and the officers were moving quickly, Aurora transformed. She couldn’t let this play out without speaking her piece.

There was an explosion of light behind the police. They cried aloud, turning with weapons drawn to witness an angel shining with her wings spread wide.

The door clicked as it closed behind her as she addressed them, shining for all her worth, “A moment of your time, officers. I understand what you’re doing here and your concerns, however, I must explain why I asked for Ms. Sarah’s cooperation. My name is Aurora. I’m a new superhero in the area. I’m here to investigate the camp. I’m certain you’re aware of their practices.”

Hearing that her voice was full of reason, they didn’t fire but kept their weapons trained on her. The officer she was familiar with gestured for his partner to continue into the car. He nodded and holstered his firearm, returning to what they were doing before Aurora interjected. The one she recognized spoke, “I’ve heard about you. Didn’t you blast up a construction site in Seaside City recently? What brought you here for this ‘case’ of yours? Maybe you’d best come back to the station and explain about what you’re looking for up in the camp.”

He adjusted his shoulders while maintaining his semi-aggressive stance. He lowered his gun and chuckled. “I don’t know what you’re after with them, but if you’re looking for some kinda cult to bust, hero, you’re in the wrong place. The Padua Realignment Camp is a legitimate enterprise and it’s run by good Christian people.”

Aurora let her wings retract a little and her eyes narrowed on the officer. “Where I come from, we don’t treat children so harshly. The cuffs are out of line, officer. Do you not know how the children at that Camp are treated? They’re only allowed out to see the sun once a week. The Sun is lifesblood for all, particularly my people; without it you wouldn’t be here. We have a great affinity for starlight, we all do. And it is very important to the growth of a child. This so-called camp does nothing but drill scriptures into the children’s heads. They’re basically being brainwashed. And on the other end, someone’s making money off of all this. One might say it’s a legitimate and legal enterprise, but it’s really just a legal concentration camp. All this known, you’re going along with them because it’s ‘legal’ for them to operate. If you’re a good man, it doesn’t make any sense why you’d look after them.”

“Well, Miss Aurora, those are some serious and unsubstantiated allegations you’re levelling at Padua. A lot of us in town find the good people of the camp help with reinforcing the positive traits all good children need to grow up right. If we’re talking about legal matters, I think we may want to address your kidnapping this girl from there.”

“She did NOT kidnap me!” Sarah yelled from inside the Police car, having listened to every word. “She’s new here, and, um. I came by choice! It was not against my will!”

The officer turned towards Sarah and pressed against the window. “Then you’re admitting that you did want to run from the camp?”

“No,” Sarah responded coolly. “I didn’t say that. I just wanted to help her out.”

“So you personally know this woman?” the officer asked, “you already said you didn’t know her.”

“Well, um…” Sarah looked at Aurora.

Aurora put on a reassuring smile. “She doesn’t know me, officers. Or rather, didn’t prior to today. I saw her in the yard picking berries and I landed beside her. I asked her if she’d mind coming for a flight for a short time and answer some questions about how happy she was, and how well she was being treated.”

“I’ve come to understand that the food is unpleasant there. I figured it would be more than fair to compensate her for her time with a fine meal. And since I didn’t want anyone staring at her or being too nosy, I changed my appearance so we would have some peace.”

“Sarah is a good girl, I’ve found. Very obedient. She’s already explained quite a bit about how the camp operates and I don’t approve of their methods.” Aurora crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “It’s hard to understand why anyone would willingly subject their child to their kind of ‘treatment’, and I use that term very loosely. Don’t you know that some parents medicate their children for being overly joyful and happy? That makes parenting a smidge easier, but is it right when it means shortening their children’s lifespan? All to give them a wink of some peace.”

“Yeah!!!” Sarah yelled wearing a broad smile. “I’m tired of oatmeal and hot dogs! I’m totally sick of it!”

“Yeah, yeah, your rap sheet says you don’t like hot dogs,” the officer quipped. “At any rate, this sounds like it might be a misunderstanding all around. I'll tender your apologies to the camp on your behalf if you promise to stay out of this town’s airspace for the time being,” he said, “but if they decide to press charges, we’ll need your contact information.”

“Speak with Detective Ben Kirby of the San Isidro Police Department. He’s my liaison with San Isidro P.D.” Leona put her hands on her hips. “And are you sure you want me to stay away? ‘Misunderstanding’ or not, if something happens here that could be prevented by the intervention of a superhero, would you NOT be grateful for that help? The area isn’t exactly chock a block with superhero presences.” Aurora stated, perplexed, but Aurora’s eyes fell upon Sarah’s raised up wrists, still cuffed. The superhero’s eyes narrowed as she shifted the subject to getting the officers treat Sarah more kindly.

“I wouldn’t need to speak with Sarah again in the near term, especially not since she’s already answered my questions, but do Sarah a favor and at least take those cuffs off her.”

“We find that outsiders, especially from the big city, think they know better than us and don’t have a lot of respect for us lowly rural types. We’ve done just fine here without any super-people, especially people who engage in backhanded blasphemy.” This officer was clearly biased. “If we need you, we’ll call your ‘liaison’ as you say.”

“I’m okay, Aurora! You hear me?” Sarah yelled loudly, having determined before Aurora that there wasn’t anything else she could do. “I’ll be fine!” Despite her words, Sarah sounded like she wasn’t one hundred percent convinced of that, but she did her best in her situation.

“All right then, y'all have a good day,” the officer said to Aurora with a tight-lipped frown and a clear sense he was done with being civil as he turned his back to Aurora and got into the squad car.

Aurora shook her head and spread her wings, taking off. Nothing had gone like she’d hoped it would.

She knew it couldn’t all go well and that things probably weren’t as bad as she was afraid, but now she knew more about Sarah’s situation and how she felt. When it came down to it, Sarah had allowed herself to be more honest than she was when they had talked alone in the restaurant.

She did her best to empty her mind as she beat wing home, tears in her eyes for her powerlessness.