I'm Super Part III

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Entry posted by Scaley McSlither · February 11, 2017

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Something didn’t make sense. It had been an entire evening wasted, sitting at her desk, poring over her surveillance photos. Carol was certain she was missing some important details. After the punk had given up all the information on the Maggia, Carol had kept Hunters Warehouse under watch. The ability to fly had made it laughably easy to find perches on which to set up her cameras.

She had noticed a pattern evolve over the course of the next few weeks of watching the building. While delivery trucks would come and go, there was always a particular vehicle that would show up at the same time every evening. The occupants were always well-dressed and met by a party of men from the building. One in particular seemed to attract a lot of their attention.

“That must be Hammerhead,” she reasoned.

Invariably, they would stay for exactly two hours and return to their car and depart. What she couldn’t figure out was that if he were a crime boss, what was he doing spending time in the trenches? Why would he want to be directly tied to his operation?

A restless night passed and she was early to the office the next day to continue the analysis. She frowned as the phone on her desk rang. It was her receptionist, calling to inform Carol that her 10 o’clock appointment had arrived. She stood to receive her client and put on her best smile. As the door swung open, the smile froze on her face. She had met this client once before.

“Good morning Ms. Hardy, I’m Carol Danvers,” she stammered. Recovering quickly, Carol shook her hand and motioned for her client to be seated. “How can I help you?”

Her client sat and replied, “Please call me Felicia. I have uh… an unusual problem. A couple of months ago I was attacked and very nearly sexually assaulted. I told the police that I fought back and got in a lucky shot but that’s not what happened at all!” Felicia told Carol the story of how she’d actually been rescued by Ms. Marvel but in the days and weeks that followed, strange things had begun to occur. “Something happened to me that night, I’m sure of it. Everywhere I go, people seem to have bad luck. It’s not all the time, but since that night it feels like bad luck is following me around.”

Carol fidgeted in her seat, “I’m not sure how I can help you, Felicia. I…”

“Please don’t tell me I need to talk to a psychiatrist,” Felicia interrupted, “I already have and it’s not all in my head. Halfway through my appointment, his chair broke and he hurt his back!” She paused a moment to collect herself, “Please. Please,” she implored, “Can you help me find Ms. Marvel?”

Reaching into her purse, she retrieved that day’s newspaper and placed it face up on Carol’s desk. The cover story clearly showed a security camera still of a costumed woman brawling with a group of tough-looking characters.

“You see? She really exists. I need to talk to her and find out what happened to me. I don’t know what else to do or where to turn. I’m at the end of my rope!” She put her head in her hands, obviously distraught.

Carol leaned back in her chair and nodded slowly. A slight creak form the chair made her jump and Felicia glanced up, alarmed. They looked at each other and laughed. “Ok Felicia. I’ll find her. We’ll get this figured out.”

Felicia was visibly relieved. Carol went through some documents with her to formalize their contract and sent her on her way.

“Of all the miserable luck!” Carol thought as she closed the door behind Felicia. “What are the chances she would come to me? She’s not kidding about being a jinx.” Carol leaned forward and let her forehead hit the door softly. The sound of someone being seated in her leather chair behind her snapped her to attention. She whirled on the intruder and her shoulders immediately sagged.

“Ugh,” she rolled her eyes and groaned, “Hello Oracle.”

The white-haired alien seated at her desk smiled broadly and clapped her hands, “Congratulations Carol! You’ve activated her anomaly.”

Carol shot her unwelcome guest an icy scowl, “Yeah? So how did I do that and just how was I supposed to know she had it?”

“Of course you had no way of knowing,” Oracle assured her with sympathetic nod, “but apparently the anomaly can be naturally triggered during an incidence of extreme stress or duress. Once catalyzed, the anomaly cannot be reversed. It is as much a part of you as your consciousness. Whether the powers unlocked can be effectively utilized or otherwise controlled is up to the individual. In Felicia Hardy’s case, her ‘aura’ is causing hardship to others. With time and effort, she could conceivably have direct control over the ability to influence fortune. She could be a valuable ally, Carol. Or if left to her own devices, she could come to resent her ability, much like a festering wound and become a powerful foe. Her fate is largely in your hands.”

Carol turned to look out the window. In the plaza below there was a group of cyclists gathering and crowds were going about their business, oblivious to the drama unfolding across the street.

She was silent a moment in reflection and finally replied, “So clearly she’s right and the bad luck isn’t a coincidence. The fact she even found me proves that her power is working. How else do I explain that wretched turn of events?”

She looked back over her shoulder to Oracle as the only reply was silence. Naturally, the chair was empty.

To be continued...