Lightspeed

Chapter 13 (Night 1): Sensational Suffering

We last read Chapter 12, in which Ariel Axilas is given a brief tour of the Mastermind Conspiracy's Cambridge Branch by its head and leader, Marle Atkins, who describes what it does, as well as the changes she's made within the organization since she took control of it back in 2021. At the conclusion of said tour, Marle gathers her forces—the Mastermind Agents—for an emergency business meeting, during which she introduces Ariel to the group and informs them of who she is and what she's been through; Ariel then promptly compounds this by describing in detail the tragic and sudden murder of her fiancé Bruno Oakes at the hands of Chief Charles Higgins of the Cambridge Police Department. However, what starts out as a relatively formal introduction between both Marle and Ariel eventually devolves into an emotional, desperate plea for help on Ariel's part, as she beseeches the Mastermind Agents for help in discovering the truth about what happened to Bruno. With some prodding and motivation from Marle, the Agents eagerly accept Ariel's request, seeing her as yet another person who has suffered at the hands of the police; someone whom they must aid and defend. At the end of the chapter, Marle and Ariel officially begin their investigation, with Marle stating that she needs Ariel to breach the Cambridge Police Department and recover all communications and audio logs involving Higgins and Bruno from the past six months.....or, if those aren't useful, the past year. Ariel initially refuses on the grounds that she'll get caught even with her super speed, but Marle sends Ariel off to find T-Bone, a Mastermind Agent whom she claims can help her with her issue. This time, Ariel sets off to find T-Bone, leaving Marle to pursue her own twisted pleasures.....

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"Uh-uh. No. No. No. Absolutely not," Ariel denied vehemently. "I know your fucking game; you're trying to push me down the path of operating as a superhero."

Marle genuinely looked perplexed, wondering what exactly Ariel was trying to get at. "Yeah, so? What about it?"

"What about it? Marle, perhaps you don't know this yet, but the idea of being a superhero is not appealing to me! Or at least.....not right now. I just want your help with Bruno. That's it."

"And I can help you with him.....if you help me in return," Marle countered, taking care to not directly mention Bruno by name as per Ariel's prior threat. "You're the best one to pull off this task, like it or not. And considering the legal fallout with supers recently.....it'd suck if you were to get caught. Seeing as how they were so quick to.....'act'.....last time, I would really try to get a suit if I were you. Otherwise.....go in there unprotected, and you might be seeing him again before too long....."

Ariel groaned in frustration, knowing that Marle had, once again, cornered her. "Fine, whatever!" She looked at the card that Marle had handed her. ".....'T-Bone', huh? Like the steak?"

"Don't mention that around him; he doesn't like to talk about it," Marle warned. "Now, off you go! I have things to do!"

"Like what?"

".....That's none of your business!"

"Okay, sorry, jeez!"

Ariel then left the nurses' station to wander the Mastermind Conspiracy base and search for T-Bone, leaving Marle alone at the desktop computer.

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Once she was sure that Ariel was out of sight, Marle grinned. She had claimed that she would try to find ways to facilitate the upcoming mission against the Cambridge Police Department, perhaps by finding out more about their records, motives, and recent actions.