Sapphire Angel - Superheroine

Chapter 24 - Identity Trouble

Beth was getting sore. She had been laying on the hard ground for at least an hour, maybe two. With each passing minute she became more worried, but not because of her discomfort. The hunger in her captor's eyes as he looked at her was unmistakable, and it kept growing.

She wondered why she was even alive. These people had shot at her during her first encounter with them, back in the Fizzure building. Now they had brought her to this barn, unharmed, instead of executing her.

Beth contemplated how the news media would report about their new sensation, Sapphire Angel, if they knew she was just a normal girl, tied up and at the mercy of these people. Had it really been less than three days since she first put on the costume and necklace?

So much had happened in that time. Most significantly, John had died. She had obtained amazing powers, foiled an initial attempt on John's life, and had twice interfered with Fizzure's plans. But soon these goons, and perhaps everyone, would know she was Sapphire Angel.

The large barn doors slid open and a black Mercedes pulled in. Beth looked toward the back of the barn and watched as the car stopped and the driver climbed out. He rushed to the back door and pulled it open. Moments later another man exited the vehicle.

He was huge, in more ways than one. He was a tall black man, but his stomach also looked to be three sizes too big for his body. Even his hands were massive. This had to be Demarco Dominick. Stanley had told her about the man during their drive to Philip Gruden's home.

Dominick glanced Beth's way, before walking over to Beth's captor. The two spoke in hushed tones, and Beth couldn't make out their words. She knew exactly when her captor revealed that she was Sapphire Angel, though, as Dominick's eyebrows arched, his jaw fell, and his head whipped sideways to stare at Beth.

Beth's captor handed her costume to the big man, who took it in his large hands and studied it for several moments, turning it this way and that and running his fingertips over the smooth material. Eventually he stepped toward her. He didn't say a word, instead peering down at the petite woman. She met his gaze with a glare, trying to appear more brave than she felt.

"Are you sure?" Dominick called over his shoulder to the other man. "She doesn't look like the girl from the videos."

Perhaps she could explain this away, Beth thought. She shouldn't have discounted the ability of the necklace to conceal her identity, even faced with strong evidence. As she looked up at Dominick, she saw his eyes swirl in confusion. It was as if some strange drug were taking hold of him.

"Boss, hold the costume up to her body," the other man said.

Dominick crouched near Beth and pinned her down with one of his meaty hands. He did as suggested, laying the costume against her body. He stared at her.

"I guess it could be," he murmured. He turned and walked back to the chairs, setting her costume on one. He spoke to the other man in a hushed tone before walking back to Beth. He stopped a few feet from her.

"Sapphire Angel or not, we have questions for you," he said to her in an even voice. "But I promised a phone call to someone first."

He dug an iPhone out of his pocket and started a call before holding the phone to his ear. He looked at her as he waited for someone to answer.

"Hey," he said finally to someone on the other end of the call. "You told me to call you once I learned anything at all about Sapphire Angel. I have some news for you. I can't be sure, but we may have captured her."

He listened, nodded, and spoke again.

"Oh, we captured someone. She has the whole costume in her bag — that little spandex number, gloves, tights, necklace, and boots. And she's the right size. But I can't be 100% sure it's her. She looks... different. I can make her tell me, though. That I can assure you."

A jolt of fear shot through Beth at those words. She had no doubt what he meant. This could get very unpleasant.

But a split second later a crestfallen expression crossed Dominick's face. He sighed.

"I understand," he said. "I'll be waiting."

He ended the call and looked at Beth, shaking his head.

"I need information from you. More than just whether you're Sapphire Angel. But you've been given a reprieve. A very temporary one."

He turned back to the other man.

"Take her to the pen," Dominick said.