# # #
1:11pm
After lunch, the snowing stopped and the sun came out. "Good," Valk commented. "Weather's cleared up,. we can get some training in."
"You have fun with that," DG said. "I'm going to sleep off those nachos."
"No you're not. Grab Sesehkekewey and let's go.
"Masamune," Our Hero corrected. "I'm trying to get it used to it's new name."
"Whatever. Let's go."
Jill watched the two of them leave through the fire escape, leaving her alone in the office. Maybe Valkadaidan can teach him some discipline, she thought. He needs it.
"It won't help," a voice from behind her remarked. Jill spun around to see a woman standing in the middle of the office. She had black hair that flowed past her shoulders and wore a hunter green sweater with black jeans. She looked of Chinese descent and a few years older than herself.
"What won't help," she asked the lady.
"Deadguy's always been a wild one," the lady continued, walking over to Our Hero's desk. She picked up his phone and slid through a few pages. "Still has a thing for Asian women, I see."
"Who are you," Jill asked.
The lady put the phone down and sat down at one of the guest chairs. "Who I am is not important. Not yet, anyway. Who is important is Our Hero. We've been watching him. Studying him. Noticing points in history that he shows up in."
"History," she asked, astonished. "How old is Deadguy?"
"Only he knows that," the lady replied with a smile that hinted she knew more than she was letting on. "if he could remember."
Jill sat back in her chair. He never mentions his past, or even tries to pursue it. She looked back at this woman that sat across from her. "Why are you telling me this," she asked finally.
"Because we're watching him," she answered, leaning forward. "We know more than enough about him. If he ever remembers who he was, we will have no choice but to put him down for good."
Jill leaned forward, her hands gripping her desk. "Who are you," she asked again, her voice tinged with anger.
"Again, that's not important," the lady replied, standing up. "Not yet, anyway." She started to leave. "We'll be in touch, Miss Nemo."
The fire escape opened, breaking Jill away from watching this woman leave. "Deadguy! Quick," she yelled. She turned back, the woman disappeared.
"Yeah, boss," he asked.
"Never mind. She's gone."
"She," he exclaimed. "You mean there was a woman looking for me and you didn't come and get me? Was she at least cute?"
"She was old," their boss replied. "and creepy."
2:05 pm
Jill looked up from her tablet. The sun outside gave the world outside a hazy view. "What time is it," she asked.
"Meditate-o-clock, by the looks of it," DG answered. She noticed that Valkadaidan was sitting on his desk, deep in a meditative trance. "Five after Two for everyone else in this time zone."
He looked peaceful. Tranquil. Like the rest of the world and it's problems didn't even exist. In that state, it's almost impossible to imagine him as a warrior. The deadly, blood-thirsty berserker that they've witnessed in battle. Maybe there's a gentle side he's hiding from me, she thought "From us," she corrected out loud.
"What's from us," Deadguy asked.
"Nothing. I was just thinking."
"Was it a way to get more clients?"
"I think I have one," she replied. "Throw a sandwich board on you and send you out to dance on the sidewalk."
"Bad idea. I have two left feet."
"Not according to about five girl's FaceSpace updates from last night."
"Pics or it didn't happen."
Jill chuckled.
"Alal," Valkadaidan yelled, breaking them from their conversation. He almost fell forward off his desk, but quickly steadied himself. He rubbed his head as Deadguy and Jill rushed to him.
"Everything alright, buddy," DG asked.
"There was so much...chaos. Chaos...and...Pandemonium. Rage. Despair. Fire..." He rubbed his forehead. "It...it's gone now." He climbed off the desk, shrugging off their help. "I'm fine."
"Right," Deadguy replied. "You screamed out something in an unknown language and we're suppose to believe you're okay." The Dragon Blooded glared at him. "Come on Dude. Lean on me." He paused, then started singing. "...When you're not strong, and I'll be-"
"Don't sing," they both shouted.
3:13 pm
"Three Fives," Deadguy announce, laying down three playing cards face-down on top of the stack of cards.
"Bullshit," Jill and Valk called out at the same time. They looked at one another, then Jill reached out and flipped over the three cards. They were, in fact, three five.
"Damn it," she yelled. The guys just laughed as she picked up the entire stack of twenty face-down cards. Her face lit up with shock. "Valk, you little fibber. You said you played two sixes."
Valkadaidan laughed again. The door chime echoed softly through the office, causing the Heroes to stir and turn their attention away from the game. They saw a young woman standing with a small child. The woman had a worried look on her face while the child was doing a very familiar dance. "Hi," she said. "Can my son use your bathroom? He really has to go."
"Sure," DG said before Jill could react. "It's right over there."
Jill just smiled at the mother as they walked in, then turned and glared at Our Hero. "That's not a public restroom," she hissed.
"Think of it as a PR move," he replied smoothly. "That woman or someone she knows may need help someday and she'll remember those nice Professional Heroes that let her kid use the bathroom." He fiddled around with his cards. "Besides, who can say no to a little kid?"
"Thank you," the mother said as they left the bathroom. "What to you say, Sweetie?"
"Thnk yu," the little boy replied, hiding behind his mother's legs.
"You're quiet welcome," Jill said through another fake smile. They watched mother and son leave. The mother stopped at the front desk, grabbed a few business cards, and stuffed them into her purse. Deadguy turned to her and smiled. It was a smile that someone gives when they know they're right. She shook her head. "You're too smart for your own good, you know that?"
"It's your turn," he simply answered.
4:50 pm
Jill and Deadguy grabbed their coats from the rack. "This day was a bust," she commented solemnly.
"I wouldn't say a bust," DG replied. "I mean, yeah, we didn't have any clients, but we did learn a lot about each other."
"Not sure if that's going to bring financial success," she said. "From a team building aspect, it works, but still..."
"There you go, thinking like an employer again," he joked. "Admit it. You actually had fun today."
She thought about that statement. Yeah, it was fun. Her mind went over the events of the day. It didn't feel like a waste. She felt they had all grown a little closer.
"Hey boss," Deadguy called out, snapping her back to reality. "We locking up shop or what?"
"Alright. Okay," she responded, walking out last. Once outside. she realized how warm it was for this time of day. "Didn't need the coat, I guess."
"Sixty-four and balmy," Valkadaidan commented.
"Those magical maiden mavens are still at it, huh," DG asked.
"Until March Twenty-First," he answered.
"Hey guys," Jill asked. There was a bit of concern in her voice."Are we friends?" The guys turned slowly, confused at the question. "I mean, I don't know if it was just implied or..."
"I wouldn't say 'friends," Deadguy started, rubbing the back of his neck.
"No. Not friends," Valk agreed.
Jill's heart sank.
"I'd say we're more like family," DG continued.
"Sounds about right," Valk agreed.
Her face lit up with joy. "You really see us as a family? Wait, what does that make me?"
"The bossy little sister," the Dragon Blooded answered.
"Hey," she exclaimed. "I'm not
little." The guys laughed. She joined in. The moment was quickly interrupted by Deadguy's phone ringing.
"Professional Heroes. Deadguy here." He listened for a moment. "Whoa, chill out. What's in your basement? Zombies? That's what I thought you said."
Valkadaidan's phone rang next. "Professional Heroes. Valkadaidan." He paused. "You're being harassed by a demonic biker gang?"
Jill's phone rang last. "Professional Heroes. Jill Nemo speaking." It was the mother from earlier. She was hysterical. "Okay. Just calm down." She pulled the phone away and covered the receiver. "Looks like we're back in business boys."
"Looks like it," Deadguy replied. "Which apparently involves me punching zombies."
Valkadaidan just waved the other Heroes off as he went to his car.
"Okay, so where are you," she asked. "16384 Baker Avenue? I'm on my way."
END
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