Hellrose and Night Stalker

by Lyndsey Werner

“It has been confirmed. The Memory Meddler has been kidnapped.” The announcer on the news said in an authoritative voice. I stood abruptly.

“Aunt Dee, could you give me that ride to my friend’s house?”



I closed the car door and waved to my aunt.

“What are you doing here?” Megan asked from the doorway.

“You know why I’m here, or there’s no way you’d be waiting by the door like that.” I responded. Megan refused to look at me, but she never did. I’d never brought it up but I suspected Megan had Asperger’s Syndrome. “Have you taken care of Eva’s parents?”

“Yes.” Megan turned and I followed her inside.

“Put this on.” Megan ordered, nudging a box with her foot. I frowned and opened the box.

“Oh no, you have got to be kidding me.” I glanced up as Megan sat at her computer. “I am not a super being.”

“Technically you are.” Megan said.

“No, I’m a beta being. Normal person with weird power. These,” I lifted up the cape and tights. “Are for a super being!”

“How many people do you want to know you have a power?”

I hesitated. “Fine, but no cape, no tights.”

“Pants and a hooded sweatshirt are in there. Don’t forget the mask.” Megan ordered.

“Why am I dressing like this any way?” I demanded as I changed.

“Police have a suspect in custody.” Megan said. “They won’t be able to make him talk.”

“How do you know?” I challenged.

“I know.” Megan said. She wasn’t trying to be mysterious, and it wasn’t about powers. These terse answers were just who she was.

“That’s not good enough, Megan.” I was as terse as she was. “If you expect me to make him talk. I need to know what I’m getting into.”

“He is a mercenary. I will print you a profile.” Megan responded automatically. Her hands flew over the keyboard, and the printer started up.

“Good.” I said, than I realized what she was asking of me. “Wait, Megan, how am I suppose to make him talk? I deal with emotions, not thoughts or memories.” Megan looked towards me, though not at me.

“This man, Erik Walsh, is used to resisting interrogation techniques of all kinds.”

“And?” I prompted her.

“You can hit him were it hurts.” Megan said. “Time to go.” 



Megan sent me to a corner, where I was picked up by a driver in a nondescript black car. I don’t know what André Lopez, the driver’s name according to his card in the back, thought about picking up a hooded girl with a mask covering the bottom of her face, but he took it in his stride. My question of how I would get inside was answered as soon as I got to the station.

“You’re Emo, right?” It was Maddie Lawson, MM’s partner on the force.

“Is that what she calls me?” I asked. “M has got to get better at coming up with names.” Det. Lawson escorted me inside.

“This girl’s going to make him talk.” A detective demanded. I glared at him. He, displaying at least some sense, avoided my eyes.

“You must be Det. Lewis.” I observed. I glanced at Det. Lawson. “Where is he?”

They brought me to an interrogation room. “So, you’re going to take his memory of where MM is?” Det. Lewis asked.

“My power doesn’t work like that.” I said, looking at the man behind the glass.

“What? Then why are you here?!” Det. Lewis demanded. I looked up at him, startled, and our eyes met.

He was worried. Fear tinged his emotions. He was also very concerned, probably for me. Det. Lewis felt guilty, as if he was responsible. Det. Lewis cared more about M than he let on. I broke our gaze.

“Don’t worry, Detective.” I assured him, returning my gaze to Erik Walsh. “My abilities are messier than M’s but they’ll get the job done.” I hesitated before I entered the room, and looked back at them. “I want you to know that this is not what I’m normally like. I’m just doing what I have to.” I didn’t wait to see their response. Erik glanced up as I entered the room.

“So they send little girls.” He laughed darkly.

“Not going to look at me?” I asked. “Scared?”

“Scared and cautious are different things.” He growled. I nodded.

“That’s fair.” I took the seat across from him. “And I guess you are doing the smart thing.” I tapped the table. “There’s just one problem.” I reached over and touched his hand. “I don’t need to look into your eyes.” After Dr. Price had worked out a treatment for me, my abilities had expanded. I was still limited to emotions, but now I could sense and transmit them through skin contact as well as eye contact. The first thing I noticed when I touched Erik’s hand was satisfaction, the confidence that he’d been through worse. I tore it away, and slipped it down into the depths of my control. Overconfidence would do nothing for me here. Erik jerked away and stared at me uncertainly.

“That’s it.” I grinned as our eyes met. I was new with my touch empathy, the eyes were much better. “Oh my, no wonder you’re so resistant to interrogation. It’s been years since you felt true fear, hasn’t it?” I smiled as I unleashed terror like Erik Walsh had never felt, of a woman I’d seen being attacked in an alley, of Dr. Price when my condition deteriorated, even of the girl who’d screamed the loudest at last week’s Horror Movie Marathon. All of these poured into Erik, enough fear to leave a normal person screaming for hours on end. Erik scrambled away from the table backing up against the wall.

“What are you?” He whispered hoarsely. I smiled, and stood up, maintaining eye contact.

“Just something looking for a friend. Tell me where she is, and I’ll make this stop.” Erik shook his head mutely. “I didn’t think you would.” I said. “But what is it that is giving you strength?” I separated the emotions, identifying them. “Love?” I inspected the emotion. “I do believe it is love. How interesting. Could it be love for your sister?” I unfolded a picture of her from my pocket. I knew he’d catch a glimpse of it on the edge of his vision, even though he couldn’t tear his eyes away from mine. “What would you do if you lost that?” My eyes bore into his. “I could take it you know.” The fear I had given him was beginning to give way to rage. “Ah no. None of that now.” I told him, taking his anger as quickly as it manifested. Depriving him of his coping mechanism. He was starting to break, to give in to despair. “Erik, let me be clear, I could do this for hours. Toy with your emotions until you couldn’t recognize friend from foe. I could leave you completely insane, but I have no desire to do so. I just want to know where my friend is.” I subtly emanated a wave of compassion and empathy that Erik hadn’t experienced in a long time, if he ever had before. “Please…”

Erik slowly opened his mouth. “I don’t know where she is now. The man who hired me is using the B&W Gang to smuggle her out of the country, she was handed off to them hours ago.”

“Who hired you?” I pressed. I felt the fear I’d given him shift. Whoever hired him must be more frightening than I was. “Never mind, I have all I want.” I slipped him some of my gratitude. “Thank you.” I broke my gaze, and Erik slid down the wall. Should have warned him... I turned to go and hesitated. I glanced at the picture in my hand and put it on the table. “I’m leaving this here.” I informed him without looking back. I walked out of the door.

“That was amazing!” Det. Lewis greeted me as soon as I closed the door. “I have never seen an interrogation like that!”

“Just what did you do to him?” Det. Lawson asked. I could tell by her voice she was disturbed.

“The same thing you do.” I answered, feeling a little defensive. “Manipulate emotions, identify what’s most important to the suspect, make a connection. I just used the direct route instead of utilizing photographs and questions and stuff.”

“Detective,” Someone addressed Lawson. I saw information about the B&W Gang displayed on the screen.

“Seriously kid.” Lewis said as Lawson turned. “Great job.” He joined his partner at the screens.

My hood started vibrating. I grabbed it in confusion. After a second I found a weird lump sewn into the lining. As soon as I pressed it, Megan’s voice filled the hood.

“It took you too long to answer.”

“Megan? What is this?” I demanded, looking around.

“You said you didn’t like things in your ear, so I put this in your hood.” Megan answered.

“Megan, that’s kind of… sweet.” I remarked, taken off guard. There was silence on the other end of the phone-hood thing. “Megan?” I could never tell with her, but it seemed like she was surprised.

“Yes, I am here. I’m just finding information on the B&W Gang.”

“Did you bug me, or just hack the police station?” I joked.

“Both.” Megan answered, deadpan. I added my mild irritation at being bugged to the emotions under my control. The activity around me increased.

“What’s going on?” I asked Lawson, but she must not have heard me. It was Megan who answered.

“Units are being deployed to a bunch of B&W Gang safe houses. You should come back now.”

“Shouldn’t I tell someone I’m leaving?” I asked, hesitating as busy officers hurried around me.

“Why?” Megan asked. I rolled my eyes.

“A beta being already disappeared once today, do you really think it’s a good idea for a second to up and vanish?”

“Oh,” Times like this reminded me that Megan wasn’t infallible. “Can you leave a note?”

“Sure.” I’d also wave at the desk sergeant.

“Grab Det. Lewis’s card too. He seems to like you.” Megan added.



I left the station and walked to the corner Megan specified. The car pulled up and I got in.

“Someday you’ll have to tell me where you got all this cash.” I commented, eyeing the chauffeur.

“No, you won’t approve of my methods.” Megan answered.

“Why does that matter?” I inquired.

“If you disapprove of my methods, you will reject my assistance.” Megan reasoned.

“Did you kill anyone?” I asked.

“No.”

“Scam seniors out of their life savings?”

“No.”

“Deal drugs?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t see why I would disapproved.” I leaned back, hands behind my head. There was such a long silence I thought the conversation was over.

“I broke the law.” Megan said emotionlessly.

“What’s your point?”

“You are not upset?”

“Why should I be? Eva would be furious thought.” My throat constricted abruptly with an unexpected surge of emotion. “She barely tolerates your hacking.”

“I don’t understand why you are not angry.” Megan said. I closed my eyes. This could become a long confusing discussion in no time.

“Because I trust you.” I answered, simply, trying to keep the conversation short.

“Anna,” Megan said after a moment. “The police are going after the wrong people.”

“What?” I jolted up right. “No, Erik was completely sincere when he answered-”

“It was a red herring.” Megan cut me off. “In case any one got caught. I just hacked one of B&W Gang’s front companies. They only had her an hour before handing her off to Marta Rique.”

“Well where is she?!” I demanded.

“Hacking, hacking, hacking,” Megan said over and over again, like the perpetual ‘loading’ icon on a computer. “Got it. Corner of Helen and Rose.”

“I’m calling Lawson.” I began, searching the outfit for the phone. Megan wouldn’t have sent it up so she was the only one I could contact. I didn’t think so anyway.

“I’m closer.” Megan said, I heard her moving around.

“Megan, no, Megan! Don’t you dare!” I began in alarm.

“You’re breaking up.” Megan said flatly, and disconnected.

“Megan?! Darn it Megan!” I leaned forward. “Whatever you’re getting paid, she’ll double it if you get me to Helen and Rose under 10 minutes.”

“Sí, senoríta.” André grinned widely, and accelerated.

I tumbled out of the care as it stopped. I heard someone shouting. A man lay unconscious in the driveway. Yeah, Megan was here. I tapped the driver’s side window and handed André Lewis’s card. “Call this number, tell him,” I began.

“A superhero is about to save a rash friend.” He grinned. “I do speak English, and you are wearing a costume.”

“Yeah,” I turned red. “Tell them this is where they are holding the Memory Meddler.”

“Be careful, niña.” André cautioned me.

“I will.” I assured him, and slipped away.

I snuck into the house. My mouth dropped open. Megan was in the living room, easily out maneuvering two strong men. I had know that Megan was good. Megan jumped on a chair behind on of the men and brought both hands simultaneously down on his ears. She kicked him while he was stunned and he went down. I just didn’t know how good! Megan jumped down and squared off with the last man.

“Most impressive, my dear.” Marta walked in, holding a gun. “I was unaware there was another super being in the city.”

“There’s not.” Megan said. “Super beings are heroes or villains. MM is the only superhero in town.” Not the time, Megan! I though. Why would she start listening to me now?!

“Oh, how interesting. Carlos, why don’t you go get the young superhero.” The last man standing left the room through the opposite door. I shrank further into the shadows. I didn’t want to be snuck up on. Fortunately, Carlos returned almost at once, dragging a clearly drugged Eva with him. I bit my lip. Her mask and wig were gone. Eva looked around and smiled groggily at Megan. “Pretty girl.” Marta commented casually. “Ordinary though, besides the memory thing.” Carlos dumped Eva on the coach and came to stand behind Megan. “You on the other hand,” Marta’s eyes were alight. My hands curled into fists. “I find most interesting.” She stepped forward. “How would you like a job?”

“Will you release MM if I accept?” No! That idiot! She couldn’t seriously be considering a trade!

“Unfortunately, I always fulfill my contracts once I’ve accepted them.” Marta responded.

“Then I must decline.” Megan told her. Marta examined her and sighed.

“Pity.” She lifted the gun. No! I looked at Eva, imparting to her a moment of my focus. Eva broke our gaze, saw the gun right in front of her, and launched herself at it. In that moment, Megan attacked Marta. Eva rolled over and giggled at the ceiling, her clarity gone once more, and I, seeing Carlos start forward, attacked the giant.

Don’t be mistaken. I’m no Megan, the most self-defense I know was from the time we did karate in P.E. but I did have something she didn’t have. Every time I connected with Carlos or he grabbed me, I imparted the worst emotions I could on him. Despair, exhaustion, etc. and took the feelings of his adrenaline surge, anything that encouraged him to fight. I took away. It was a slow process and I was sure I’d have plenty of bruises in the morning, but Carlos became slower, and I became faster. Eventually I got in a lucky hit, Carlos doubled over, and I grabbed a lamp and hit him over the head with it. Panting hard. It felt like it had taken forever, but really it had been a minute, two or three at the most. I started towards Eva.

Suddenly, Megan was thrown back in the room. She tried to stand. “Don’t.” There was a metallic click. Marta was holding another gun, or was it the same one? I started forward. The adrenaline I’d taken from Carlos was till coursing through my system, adding to my own. If Megan couldn’t take Marta, I couldn’t, but what would happen if I took all her emotions? Would-? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Wow, adrenaline, it is a scary thing.

“Now then, girls.” Marta smiled. I glared at her. “I think-” She stopped sentence and crumpled to the ground. I blinked. My driver, André, stood behind Marta, having struck her over the head with some kind of poker.

“Niñas locas.” He muttered.

“Are you alright?” I scrambled over to Megan.

“Fine,” Megan said, standing and brushing herself off. She was favoring her right leg a little. “I’m enrolling you in a Jujutsu class.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I muttered, turning to Eva.

“She needs to wake up.” Megan walked up next to me. “She has to erase her face from these people’s minds.”

“It’s not erasing, it’s more like transferring.” I snapped, “And how do you know none of the B&W Gang saw her?”

“Her mask is in the other room.” Megan replied. “These are the only ones who’ve seen her face, and the guy in the driveway.”

“This girl’s been drugged.” André observed, kneeling next to Evan. He took out a penlight and started checking her pupils. “It’ll be at least six hours before she can do much of anything.”

“You’re no ordinary driver, are you?” I inquired.

“160th Regiment, Night Stalkers don’t quit.” He answered, putting away his penlight. “I took whatever job I could after I got back.”

“We need to get this done before the cops arrive.” Megan watched the window impatiently.

“It’s not going to happen, senoríta.” André told her.

“It might…” I looked at Eva thoughtfully. “Earlier I lent Eva some focus. I might not be able to neutralize the drug.” I looked up at Megan. “But it’s possible that I could take the affects it has on her mind.”

“Do it.” Megan commanded.

“Whoa, bossy,” I growled. “Even if I do, there’s no guarantee she’ll be able to use her ability, and she’ll definitely need help getting around.”

“He can do it.” Megan jerked her head at André. “We need to hurry.” I glanced up in exasperation and caught André’s eye, though we didn’t exactly make eye contact.

“Don’t worry. This one’s much more reasonable.” I assured him. I looked down at Eva, and pulled all of the fuzzy, muddled, and confused emotions into my own head. It must have been some powerful drug, because I couldn’t resist it at all. I grinned lazily, vaguely aware of Eva thanking… Everyone… Profusely. That lamp has a funny tassel thingy. Driver led the pretty girl from person to person. Strange girl dragged in a mannequin… Harlequin… Clowns are funny. I laughed. Someone seemed upset. Then the pretty girl grabbed me, pulled me close, and looked into my eyes. I was supposed to do something. What was it? Memories floated into my mind, giving me something to focus on, reminding me, just long enough to return the disorienting affects of the drug to my friend. As I did so I was able to comprehend the memory Eva had given me. It was her memory, though bits of it were missing, as if she’d edited out every time she looked at me.

Eva had been able to use her ability but the combination of the drug in her system and the unconscious state of her subjects made precise control impossible. Eva couldn’t just take her face from their mind as she usually would. Eva had to remove the entire day, sometimes two, from her captors. She had balked when Megan directed her to remove André’s memory. Eva could give me this memory because of our shared chemistry, allowing unusual control. I sat up, Eva giggled.

“Megan.” I glanced around, “We have to get out of here.”

“This is unacceptable.” Megan said resolutely.

“Megan.” This was no good. I was going to have to appeal to her logical side. Which meant I needed a basis to convince her one. I stood up, and looked at André. “May I look in your eyes please?”

“Why?” He asked apprehensively.

“I just need to confirm something.” I said. “Please.” Reluctantly, the driver met my eyes.

It hit me like a freight train. The control I had snapped taught, but did not break. I had never looked into a veteran’s eyes before. There was pain, a lot of sorrow, guilt, a strange kind of longing, and an awareness of everything. He carried this with him all the time though, I needed to know about what he felt now. I took a breath, and made my way to those emotions. Apprehension, of course, fading concern, he’d been worried about us. Then there was something unexpected. It was exhilaration and a sense of belonging. I retreated, this was one time I did not want to break contact abruptly, I couldn’t risk taking anything with me. “I’m going to look away now.” I told him. He nodded. I looked away, and collected my thoughts, then I turned to Megan.

“You should give this man a job.” I advised her.

“What?” She asked icily.

“We are teenagers.” I pressed. “We need a way to get around, and he’s saved our lives once already.”

“This is absurd.” Megan growled.

“As absurd as us standing here talking, waiting for the police to come?” I pointed out. Megan glared stonily at the air. “Megan, listen to me. Today you decided to come here and take on three guys and a highly trained killer alone.” I crossed my arms. “If I hadn’t come and risked my neck, you’d be dead.” That caught her attention, she looked at the ground.

“You shouldn’t have come.” She said.

“And I won’t have to. If you hire him.” Megan thought for a second.

“Are you willing to sign a confidentiality agreement?” She asked André.

“I worked for the government. I know how to keep a secret, senoríta.” André replied. Megan continued to stare blindly. I nudged him.

“Say yes.” I muttered.

“I’m willing to sign a confidentiality agreement.” André said clearly.

“Help MM to the car, I’ll arrange your salary tomorrow.” Megan said, turning.

“Where are we going?” André asked, as I helped him with Eva.

“Crestwood Hospital, there’s a doctor there who has treated us in the past.” I told him softly. I glanced up. I could hear sirens in the distance. “Let’s go, Night Stalker.” André put Eva in the car.

“Why are you calling him ‘Night Stalker’?” Megan asked.

“Nickname, you should pick one too, or MM will pick one for you and you know how much she sucks at that.” I answered.

“How about HellRose?” Night Stalker asked, nodding at the cross street sign. Someone had crossed out the ‘en’ in ‘Helen’, leaving it the cross street of ‘Hel’ and ‘Rose’. Megan, HellRose, shrugged.

“Works for me.” She got in the front seat. “Now lose the cops or you’re fired.”