The Hero, The Cop, And The Lantern

Meeting a Prince (Nicole Chapter 1)

Cars, people, bicycles, and buses zoomed around the streets of Coast City. I can't deal with it. It was too early in the morning for any human interaction. Yet I still got onto my usual bus, at my usual time. Tim, the bus driver, was the only person on the bus that I could actually stand.
"Hey Tim." I greeted groggily.
Tim smiled and said "Good morning Nicole. Did you see the Red Wings game last night?"
"Nah but there's a Maple Leafs game next week." I replied, sitting in the first seat on the opposite side of the bus.
"Well they're not going to win." Tim joked.
"You don't need to lie to yourself, Tim." I said with a smirk.
It's a fifteen minute trip from the bus stop to the museum. The building itself is what you'd expect a museum to look like, marble steps and Grecian pillars. From the corner of the block I rushed through the hoards of people. This many people shouldn't be up at seven in the morning. I shouldn't be up at seven in the morning. On the way up the stairs, I pulled my badge from my purse and flashed it at the security guards at the door. The lobby of the museum was unnaturally cold, and the only people around were the janitorial staff. I took a right and used my badge to unlock the door which led to the hall of offices. Mine was the first on the left, right across the hall from my boss. Who I learned took naps on his lunch breaks. Same. On my desk were piles of mail, as usual, but the letter that stood out most was a letter from Ferris Air. It was the third one this month. Two months ago my boyfriend went missing while flying a Ferris Air plane. The letters usually were apologies, or inviting me to events in Hal's honor and/or memory. I hated going so I didn't even bother to open the letters anymore.
Hal and I had been dating for six months before his disappearance. The day he went missing we had been talking about moving in together, and getting a pet together (I had suggested a snake, he was in favor of a dog) but it had been the longest and most serious relationship I'd ever been in. He was the first guy I'd imagined waking up with for the rest of my life.

That automatically put a damper on my day so I went about my work with a frown and with sour feelings. As assistant curator of the museum I was in charge of booking events for the museum, keeping records of the exhibits up to date, creating fundraisers, finding artifacts for exhibits as well as getting in touch with other museums, and basically everything else a museum curator does but paid half as much. I was in the middle of writing an email to the curator of the Prehistoric and Ancient History Museum in Metropolis, to schedule a time to speak with her about borrowing some of there artifacts to go with the mummy of Hatsheput so that our museum could have an exhibition. There was a knock on my door which I reluctantly answered. The museum's curator and my boss, entered. Bernie Riggs was a man in his late fifties with snowy white hair, and always wore a corduroy jacket and a bow tie.

"Good morning my dear, good morning." Riggs said with sincere cheer.

"Good morning sir." I replied dryly, not prepared for whatever it was he was about to dump on me.

Riggs' smiled brightened as he said "We have a special guest today and he asked for you specifically to give him a tour of the museum."

That sounded suspicious but I was curious so I said "Okay, sir. What time is the tour?"

Riggs looked at the watch on his wrist and his eyebrows shot upwards in surprise.

"It seems like the tour is right now! You must hurry my dear! Up, up, up!" He exclaimed.

I wanted to say no, I'm not fond of people ordering me around yet I still got up from my chair and allowed him to guide me out the door. Once in the lobby, it was hard not to notice the large crowd that loitered in the middle of the large room. Together Riggs and I approached the group, and I felt a phony smile pop onto my face. A talent of mine is to be able to fake excitement, and become friendly when need be. In the mob I saw a face I recognized. Ray Palmer. Whoa.

"Hello Ms. Machiavelli! I'm Ray Palmer. It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for taking the time to show me around the museum today." Palmer said. Palmer's hand was outstretched to me. I took it and shook it.

"Good morning, Mr. Palmer. I can't wait to take you on a tour of this great museum." I said, with a smile which was on the edge of genuine.

"Good. I'm glad. It was worrying me to death that I was an inconvenience to you. Now shall we be off?" Palmer asked.

"Of course Mr. Palmer. This way please." I said gesturing for him to go right. The first exhibit we came to was on woman's suffrage in America. I explained the various demonstrations, the leaders of the movement and Palmer was enthralled. As we continued on through the museum, he asked questions about the exhibits and how it is the museum acquired them. In the end it felt like the best tour I ever gave and I hated tours. People are draining and idiotic, I only like a rare few. (Like you lovely people).
Towards the end of the tour, Palmer pulled me into a janitorial closet.

"Mr. Palmer!" I exclaimed.

"Excuse me, Ms. Machiavelli. So sorry but I need to be alone with you." Palmer said. It wasn't totally horrible to be trapped in close quarters with Ray Palmer, he was attractive.

I asked "What did you want to be alone with me about Mr. Palmer?"

"I know how you are when you're not Nicole Machiavelli." Palmer stated.

"You do? Who am I when I'm not Nicole Machiavelli?" I inquired.

"I just wanted to say I'm proud to know that there are people like you in this world." Palmer said with a gleam in his.

"What kind of people are you referring to Mr. Palmer?" I asked with a smirk.

"Heroes." Palmer said with a bright smile. My laugh echoed off the closet walls. Ray Palmer was adorable.

"I'm sorry Mr. Palmer but I'm afraid that you are mistaken." I declared.

"I know that I'm not." Palmer said, opening the door. He went out first and I quickly followed.

My heart was beating faster than it ever had before. Someone knew. A stranger knew my secret. Fuck. I hadn't even told Hal and I was dating him nor had I told my best friend. Damn.

We walked together to the entrance where his entourage was waiting for him. Palmer turned to me with a charming expression on his face. Fucker. A smile came to his lips and he said "Thank you for the wonderful tour, Ms. Machiavelli."

"Of course, Mr. Palmer." I said coolly. Ray Palmer laughed as if my coldness enchanted him.

"It warms my heart to know that people can truly make a difference and change the world." He said.

"Mine as well." I replied.

"Good luck. I hope we meet again." He said, leaving the museum.

If this was my morning, what would my night be?