Sapphire Angel - Superheroine

Chapter 30 - Back into Action

"So they got you, too, huh?" said a voice from her right. Sapphire Angel turned and saw Dirk O'Shea looking at her from the adjacent cell. He wore the same amused grin on his face she had seen earlier, as Beth. "The local TV station made you out to be invincible."

Sapphire Angel frowned.

"It's my fault," Ethan interrupted. "She had to surrender because of me."

"Just a temporary setback," she said, fighting down the annoyance in her voice. To her surprise, the costumed woman didn't like O'Shea doubting her.

"Hey!" Jerry barked at them from outside the stalls. "Shut up in there!"

O'Shea glanced at the man and gave a dismissive wave.

"Ignore him," O'Shea said to her and Ethan. "Based on my short time here, he's all talk. He won't do anything."

Sapphire Angel raised an eyebrow. Perhaps Jerry was a blowhard when it came to violence, but he hadn't been shy about touching her a few minutes earlier.

"What are we going to do?" Ethan asked, looking at the heroine with wide eyes. She pushed aside the strange feeling she got from his inability to recognize her.

"I can see how strong these handcuffs are, and then test the cell door," she said. "They certainly didn't look new. But I need someone to distract Jerry."

"Give me a second," Ethan said, with eagerness in his voice. He moved to the edge of the cell, near Tom and Nicole. He said a few quiet words to Nicole and sat down.

"What's he doing?" Sapphire Angel asked O'Shea.

"I'm not sure," O'Shea replied. "I think we'll find out."

She nodded, but said nothing.

"So are the news reports true?" O'Shea asked. "Are you everything they say? The local stations, papers, and websites are in love, but the national media hasn't bought it yet. From what I can tell, they seem to think you're a hoax, cooked up to get ratings or clicks."

"Do I look like a hoax?" the heroine asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You look quite real, but I don't know what you can do yet. All I've seen is you hauled in here in handcuffs."

Sapphire Angel frowned. "You'll get your chance to see for yourself, when I don't have to risk putting others in danger."

O'Shea nodded, and they sat in silence until Ethan rose from his position on the other side of the cell. He returned to the costumed woman's side.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"This might take a few minutes," Ethan said, staring at her in apparent fascination, but turning away when her stunning blue eyes met his. His voice shook as if he were nervous, like a man meeting an athlete or singer he'd idolized his entire life. "I told that woman what we needed. But I suggested she wait so this wouldn't be obvious."

"So what wouldn't be obvious?" Sapphire Angel asked. "I don't want her doing anything that could put her in danger."

"I...think she should be okay," Ethan said. "Give it a minute."

"She'll be fine," O'Shea said. "Like I said, our guard is timid."

Ethan turned O'Shea's way when the other man spoke, but continued to cast discreet glances back at the beautiful blond heroine. His eyes wandered from her toned legs, up to her skirt and thin waist, to her firm breasts, and to her angelic face. He turned back to her.

"Where did you come from?" Ethan asked, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. "Someone like you doesn't just show up out of nowhere. Where have you been until now?"