“First off,” Rowena replied, “The queen and the government wish for me to pass on their thanks for dealing with the Christmas Day Crisis. I’ve also been asked to pass on this.” She passed Juliet a check, the number on which made the speed freak blink.
“Umm, did someone write too many zeroes on this?” She asked.
“It’s hush money.” Luna spoke up, her eyes flickering red, alerting Juliet to who was really in charge of the body right now. “They pay you a large amount, you keep quiet about the screw up.”
“Quite right, Miss...?” Rowena asked as she offered Luna a check too.
“My name’s Mira, but I answer faster to Luna these days.” The Other Luna replied, “May I?” She asked, taking the check and grinning slightly as she saw the number on it, “That’ll pay off my uni debts and then some.”
“That was the idea.” Rowena replied, “You should be able to live quite nicely on that figure for a while, and there would be more where that came from.”
“You didn’t answer my questions.” Juliet pointed out, “And what do you mean more?”
“Those men, the ones who grabbed you at the battle and held your friend hostage?” Rowena explained, “They used to belong to a Government group that was disbanded about fifty years ago. You see the Dimension Orbs? The things you call World Spheres? This isn’t the first time that they’ve appeared. There’s a set in every country. We thought we had ours locked up tight.” Rowena seemed irritated to say the least, “The first thing we knew about you lot Fusing were the reports coming in about a supersonic postwoman in Leicester. They, however, seemed to know long before we did. On the one hand, that was their jobs, before the government disbanded them. On the other once you lot were officially public it meant they could scoop you up before we could get to you.”
“So they were supposed to hunt down Fused people like us?” Luna asked, ill amused.
“They’re supposed to bring them in, get the information on who can do what and then release the Fused who haven’t done anything wrong.” Rowena frowned, “Guilty until proven innocent. Being Fused isn’t a crime, but if you use the powers you’ve been given to do a crime, then that’s when they were supposed to step in.”
“Except we never did anything wrong.” Juliet pointed out.
“No, you didn’t and they no longer work for the Government. It was decided that they were no longer needed when the previous regime decided to lock the Dimension Orbs away for good.” Rowena explained, “They were absorbed into other departments or let go. About a year ago the secure facility we were holding the Dimension Orbs in was attacked and they were taken.”
“A year ago?” Juliet saw the connection.
“Yes, about the time that you lot got your hands on them.” Rowena nodded, acknowledging her recognition. “We weren’t too worried when we found out a bunch of anime and video games nerds had gotten their hands on the orbs. Especially when even your villains started making rules and regulations to govern themselves.”
“You were really just going to let us organise ourselves?” The Other Luna looked disbelieving.
“That stopped being an option when Sawyer opened hostilities.” Rowena shook her head, “It’s now essential that we get that information and that we sit down with you and the others of your... alignment.”
“Align...” Juliet chuckled slightly when she got the nerdy reference, “Sawyer has been classified as my problem by the others in our group.”
“So it’s only you who we have to put on payroll.” Rowena nodded her understanding.
“No.” The Other Luna shook her head. “I won’t let Speedster go alone again. It’s not happening.”
“Lune...”
“No, Speeds. We’re a team, you always said so.” The Other Luna shook her head. “You can’t do what I can and vice versa. And the others, Mako, Chi and Gold, possibly Sparks and Shorty too, they’ll want a chance to join the squad if we’re making a squad.” She looked at Rowena, “Are we making a squad?”
“Not as such.” Rowena looked amused despite herself, “But I’ve been told to hire those who are willing to work with us to keep on top of such problems.”
“Problems like Sawyer?” Juliet asked.
“And anything other trouble a Fused might cause or specialist cases.” Rowena nodded. “At any time we might need you, hence why we’re willing to pay you enough to live on.”
“I won’t kill.” Juliet informed the government agent, “That’s something I will never do. No matter how much you pay me.”
“You don’t have to.” Rowena allowed, “In fact we’d prefer if you didn’t. You see we really would rather that you stopped the crisis as it was ongoing and left the sentencing to the courts. You’re not judge, jury and executioner, you’re a consultant. An expert consultant with certain gifts and the rights to arrest the cause of the problem. But a consultant none the less.”
“If I’m a consultant, I want the rights to refuse to accept a job.” Juliet nodded, seriously considering it.
“That’s fair enough.” Rowena nodded, “And you?” She looked at Luna, “Do you have any questions or rules?”
“It won’t interfere with my university course?” Luna asked, taking control of the body again, “And you’ll let me follow whatever path I choose?”
“As long as we can get a hold of you at any time.” Rowena nodded, “And it’ll be me getting in contact with you, on a secure number.”
“So you’ll be our handler?” Juliet asked, still thinking.
“That’s right.” Rowena acknowledged, seeming pleased by the smooth sailing.
“What about the others?” Luna asked, “Will you approach them too?”
“I’ve been asked to hire everyone who might be willing and keep track of everyone who isn’t.” Rowena nodded as Hall took down their contact details, “Unless you want to provide those details?”
“I wouldn’t give that information to the other group, I won’t give it to you.” Juliet shook her head, “Sorry, but you need to ask them yourself. It would be rude for me to give you their contact details and powers without their permission.”
“We’re paying you.” Rowena pointed out.
“Not yet you’re not.” Juliet smirked back, “And this check doesn’t count. This is hush money. Not wages.”
“A fair point.” Rowena allowed, “Alright, we’ll be in contact.” She turned to leave. “Oh, before I go,” She turned back to them, “There’s a possibility of action in the near future, you will be recovered by then, won’t you?” She looked at Juliet.
“Should be.” Juliet nodded, feeling much better already and with only two days left on her medication. “I have what we call a ‘healing factor,’ it means I get sick quick, but I recover faster.”
“Good. And good to know.” With that Rowena left the property, her goons in tow.
“So what?” Robert looked at his niece, torn between amusement and irritation, “You’re a sponsored superhero now?”
“No costume.” Juliet pointed out, “The bad guys stole mine.”
“That’s not the point.” Her uncle snarled at her.
“They’re offering to pay me to do what I needed to do. And they’re offering to continue to pay me.” Juliet shrugged, more concerned than she was letting on, but trying to play it down, “I can do anything I want with my life. Anything. All that means is being on call 24-7 for an emergency that will only come up when Sawyer causes it. I can do that.”
“You’ve seen the films, comics and cartoons. You know the life expectancy of superheroes.” He growled at her. “You’re being paid to drive yourself to suicide.”
“I’m being paid to save lives and fix my mistake.” Juliet shook her head, “The side effects? They’re worth it.”
“I hope so.” Juliet’s uncle grumbled, stalking out of the room.
“Any chance of me being able to go for a run without you sitting on me?” Juliet asked Luna who shook her head and pointed at the sofa. “Didn’t think so.”
“Bad guys took your costume?” Luna asked, worried as she settled at her side and leaned into her.
“Yeah, I need to apologise to Snap.” Juliet winced, “She’s gunna kill me.”
“Nah.” Luna chuckled slightly, “If you offer to pay for a replacement...”
“That could work.” Juliet chuckled, “Not that I have her...” She paused as Luna shoved her phone under her nose, “Do you even have her number?”
“Some of us actually write things down on paper.” Luna teased, “Go on, get it over with. The sooner she can remake your costume the better.”
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