Chapter 9: Down Under Connections.

  So, for those who are fortunate enough not to know what Down Under Connections is, it’s ostensibly a dating app, aimed at connecting Australians, New Zealanders and the occasional Papua New Guinean. In practice, it’s for when you want to be connected with an Australian, “Down Under”, if you know what I mean.

  It’s a sketchy hookup app, is what I’m saying.

  And for the record, I had only tried to use it to find meaningful relationships, but I’d given up after the sixth catfish, and I’d just forgotten to actually delete it.

  I pursed my lips as I thought of what furious message I might send him, but first, I had to deal with this headache. Breathing deep, I willed myself to rise from the couch, and immediately regretted that decision. I was getting to a stage in my life where hangovers actually began to hurt, and I cursed whoever decided that humans should get hangovers after a night drinking. I moaned in agony.

  “Guh, if this hangover kills me, I’m blaming you, Emma”.

  Emma also woke up from her spot on the floor. “Hell no, it was your gin-”

  She leaned over, looking at the notification on my phone. “Isn’t that-“

  “Elias Beltran. Staaldier Initiative. Now my coworker. Yeah.”

  “Okay, first of all, you’re still on Down Under Connections?”

  “Not actively. I just forgot to delete the app.”

  “Uh huh. Look, I get it. You’re a grown woman, with grown-ass woman needs. But do I need to remind you, of-“

  “The shit he used to say about us, and what he did to Sebastian at the formal, yeah, I remember. He’s apologized, at least.”

  Another message came through from Elias. “We need to talk. Meet me at the old factory on Joe Collings Street”. I rubbed my eyes. “This is fucking weird. If he wants to talk to me, why not call me or text me? And not even telling us what he wants to talk about? And why the factory?”

  Emma pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, I don’t trust him. Creepy industrial district, works for a mysterious Major that I’ve never met, and the icing on the shit cake, he's still Elias Beltran at the end of the day, so bad mojo all around.”

  “So you’re saying don’t go?”

  “No, I’m saying let’s go and if he pulls any funny shit, we smack the shit out of him.”

  “Maybe. I just feel like if he was going to do something stupid, he would’ve done so by now.”

  “Less talking, more skull cracking. Lemme grab my board first. You got the umbrella?”

  “Always. Race you there?”

  “Not sure about racing. Still hungover as shit.”

  Emma ferretted around in her room and grabbed a helmet and some pads, strapping them into place before grabbing her skateboard. I smirked. “You going to be alright, Captain Stack?”

  “Listen, we can’t all be Mary Poppins. I’ll see you when I get down there.”

  She smiled, as the green light from the board engulfed her. Her outfit was a lot different to mine: her hair was a deep metallic green. She looked like a Scottish Highland warrior woman: long green cape attached to a breastplate, barbarian style circlet with an emerald in the middle of her forehead, and a green tartan skirt. The only thing she didn’t have was a sword, but that was what the skateboard was for. The minute she left the apartment, she jumped off the balcony, got on the board and started pushing, whizzing off into the distance.

  I decided to try something a little different. Focusing on Emma's image in my mind, I willed myself to transform. To my surprise, the transformation worked. I briefly dropped my umbrella. I mean, don't get me wrong, Emma's probably the best friend I've ever had. But I wasn't in love with Emma, so how the hell could I transform for her?. But this little revelation gave me an idea. Maybe I didn't need Elias as much as I thought. Maybe there was a way to reclaim my powers without him. Still, I had to focus. I stuck my umbrella out and let the wind carry me.

  Flying is normally kind of fun. Flying hungover, not as much. Floating down to earth, I touched down at the factory, and waited for Emma to arrive. The telltale CRASH around the corner told me she’d be on her way. After a few seconds, she came past, dusting herself off. “Stupid sign. I’ll walk it off. This better be worth it.”

  The factory looked silent, but Emma pointed to the floor. “Pile of dust, moved recently. Someone’s been here.”

  I gulped. “Or something.”

  I dialled Elias’ number. Straight to voicemail. My vision started to blur with panic, but Emma put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Look, we’ll find him. Cover me.”

  I held my umbrella like a shotgun, and pointed it behind me as Emma opened the door, skateboard transforming into a sword as she did so. We rounded the corner. This factory looked creepy as shit: I could see what looked like tiny baby heads on some shelves as I walked past. Doll parts, I kept reminding myself. Just doll parts. Creepy, detached doll parts, but doll parts nonetheless.

  As I rounded the corner, my phone buzzed, but I didn’t answer it, focused as I was on finding Elias. I heard the squeak of a door behind me as a shadowy figure walked in. I pointed my umbrella at the figure, began charging up an attack. “Who are you!? Where’s Elias?”

  Almost instantly, Emma spring into action, screaming like a banshee as she swung her skateboard sword (skate-sword?) at the intruder. I charged my attack, and tried to aim around Emma, looking for the right spot. The lights came on, and I heard Elias shouting “Wait, I can explain!”, before I heard a loud CRASH!, and the sound of doll parts scattering, then the loud KERRANG of metal slicing through metal. When my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw Elias knocked back on the floor, and Emma panting, as a shelf lay broken on the floor, cut neatly in two. Doll parts lay scattered all over the floor. I stopped charging my attack, lowered my umbrella cautiously. For a moment, nobody spoke, until Elias broke the silence.

  “Long time no see, Emma. I’m sure you both have a tonne of questions-“

  “You’ve got that bloody right! What the hell are you thinking!” Emma shouted, as Elias crawled back a bit, wincing visibly, before getting up. I saw that his hair was wet, and his clothes were dusty.

  “Let me answer your questions. Firstly, I’m sorry if I gave the wrong impression, I was coming down off some major pain meds, and the cops say they’re not giving me back my apartment until this afternoon, so I slept here last night, and I showered at the gym this morning. I was still in the shower when you called, so I tried to call back and call the whole thing off, but you didn’t answer, so here we are.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “Right. So why DM me on Down Under Connections, of all places? Why not just call me?”

  “Again, pain meds, technically homeless until the cops give back my apartment, and I wanted to message you privately, and I saw your profile. I mean, I don’t know what you’re doing on that site, but-“

  I went beet red. “N-None of your concern. That was a swipe from years ago, and I’d forgotten who you were!”

  Elias crossed over to a dusty chair, gave it a quick hand wipe down before sitting down, grimacing.

  “Look, I was paranoid alright? I had an idea that I wanted to discuss, but now I see that it’s stupid.”

  “What stupid idea?”

  “I thought for a moment that Iron Mask might either be a cop, or might have allies inside law enforcement, and I wanted to message you in a way that neither the Major nor QPS would think to look, but I fucked up. Look, I’m dusty. I’m hungry, and I’m meant to convince the Major to buy this place, and now my phone’s dead. I need you to call the Major, tell her that you want me to come to base, or that you want to hang out there for a bit. Because being homeless is really not doing my mental or physical state any favours.”

  Emma cocked her head. “Do you not have anybody you can call? I mean, aren’t you still friends with my brother?”

  “I considered asking him for help, but getting you two talking again was already a bit much to ask. Plus, I didn’t know if Iron Mask was watching me, and I didn’t want to risk bringing him near anybody I knew.”

  “Uh huh. So, Iron Mask’s still alive?”

  “Assuming it’s the same one, I think so. She seemed kind of young-“

  “Definitely different. Iron Mask was a middle-aged bloke, and could fend off our whole squad. I could tell by the voice. The fact that you’re still alive, gotta be an impostor.”

  “Or he had a voice changer, or a sex change, or whatever. Alternatively, I’ve been left alive for a reason. And I was there, Emma. I saw her. So don’t come at me, like I’m talking nonsense. I’ve got the hospital bill to prove it.”

  I looked around desperately looking to change the subject. “So that’s it? You just wanted to contact us, and get us to call the Major for you?”

  “Also, I figured I’d show you the factory. Seems I’m not entirely useless outside of Silverback after all. What do you think?”

  Emma sneezed loudly, turning her sword back into a skateboard. “Fuck that. I mean, I know you two want merch and shit, but why here?”

  “Look around. We have everything we need to build toys here. If you can build dolls, you can build gunpla. If you can make clothes for dolls, you can make ribbons for magical girl wands and accessories and what-have-you. So, yes, the company’s going to buy the factory, I’ve whipped up a few designs, Just gotta make the toys, let the money roll in. And with that, I’m going to go home. Thanks for coming, and I’m sorry if I gave the wrong impression.”

  We all left the factory and Elias staggered off, presumably to go home or to go bother the Major or whatever Elias did in his spare time. As Elias left, Emma and I turned back into our normal forms, squatting near the factory. Emma shook her head. “I don’t trust them.”

  “Them?”

  “Either of them. Elias or the Major. Look, Elias is still friends with my brother, which is weird and suspect enough, but then there’s the matter of this Major.”

  “You haven’t even met her yet. I mean, full disclosure, she’s kind of a bitch, but would that make her automatically untrustworthy?

  “Has she done anything that would make me trust her? You’re asking me to put my trust in a woman I’ve never met, Amy.”

  “You told me that-“

  “I trust you, Ames. I trusted the Sisters, but to be honest, when it comes to what we did back then, you guys are the only people I know I can trust. So I need you to promise me something if I’m going to follow you down this road again.”

  “Anything, Emma.”

  “Remember what we used to be all about: Protecting people and helping people. If Elias wants to chase money all the time, that’s his prerogative, but we’re not him. I don’t know. Just don’t lose sight of who I know you are.”

  “I promise. Can you promise that you’ll be there to remind me if I lose sight of that?”

  “Damn straight I will, woman. Not letting a disaster like you unaccompanied. If you’re sure you want me with you, then call the Major and set up the meeting. And please, for the love of God, let’s see each other more often. I missed you.”

  And with that, Emma got back on her board, and rode off, into the distance. An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. Yes, I had my best friend back, but now she was at risk, and if Iron Mask was watching…

  My thoughts were interrupted by a call from The Major. “Sobered up yet?”

  “Shit. What exactly did I say last night?”

  “Nothing that bears repeating. Did you complete the task I gave you?”

  “Yeah. I couldn’t find Jet, but I did find Emerald, and she’s in. Listen, did you realize that Elias slept in a factory last night, because the cops wouldn’t give him back his apartment?”

  The line went very quiet before the Major’s voice came crackling through again. “Shit makes no sense. A simple assault charge shouldn’t take more than 24 hours to release the bloody crime scene, Iron Mask or no. Nah, this is fucked.”

  “He says Iron Mask might be a cop.”

  “Eh, I don’t think the original Iron Mask would’ve been a copper himself. Now, having contacts or allies inside QPS or even AFP? Risky, but would explain a few things. Hate to break it to you, but apart from the Staaldier boys, the Crystalline Sisters and my good self, literally everybody else on the planet could be a suspect. So Beltran may be right. He pick a factory?”

  “Yeah, creepy abandoned doll factory. Said it’d be perfect for toys. One more thing: Emerald’s got a podcast now. Is she allowed to have that if she’s working for us?”

  “She’s not trying to be Joe Rogan or one of those Alpha males, is she?”

  “No. Just talking about Port Moonstone and being a magical girl.”

  “Bloody hell. You sure know how to pick ‘em. I’ll talk with her about this podcast. Send me her number, and I’ll give her a call. But if she yaps about Staaldier, then God help her. We need to get this factory up and running, though: missiles and bullets ain’t free.”

  The line went dead, and I walked home. The rain had started again, so I kept my umbrella up, but didn’t bother flying. I just didn’t feel like it in this weather. I thought about what Emerald had told me. Protecting people and helping people. I remember being able to do that, and how good it felt. That’s what drove me, back when I was young. Before getting older, before constantly needing to chase money in a job I hated, before losing everyone, I thought of myself as someone who helped people. Where did that person go? Did she still exist? And how could she exist, when I needed to balance being a hero with selling merchandise?

  It didn’t matter. I had to protect the others. Protect Emma, protect my family, and protect my city. And as strange as I felt about it, I would protect Elias.

  And in the meantime, I needed to delete Down Under Connections.