Chapter 8: Issue No. 2 - Chapter 2
The safety glass broke apart with a dull thud, instead of the high pitch brittleness one expects from film. Fortunately for Amanda Smart, she was thrown in such a way that her back hit flush as it penetrated the glass barrier of the Dinosaur Exhibit 's balcony. So, while it still hurt, she was at least alive.
Amanda Smart lay in a pile of glass and wooden debris, her outfit having been shredded by the impact. She could feel her sore ribs rubbing against her arms, and she was certain her ankle was broken. She'd been through worse, but this was still far from pleasant.
"You know, I should probably be dead," she murmured, looking up at the sky. The moon was full, casting a dim glow over the city. It was barely enough to see the renovation of the dinosaur exhibit beneath her, much less the sprawling grounds of the History Museum Complex of Southern California. The smell of fresh concrete and new paint filled the air, mixing with the faint but distinct scent of the nearby ocean.
Amanda groaned, slowly pushing herself up. Pain shot through her ankle, and she hissed through her gritted teeth. She looked down at her once pristine outfit, now torn and stained with blood. Her ankh necklace, the source of her powers, hung askew. She tugged at it gently, and to her relief, it slipped back into place.
"For what it's worth young lady, I did not intend to kill you. Merely a test of your abilities," the voice replied, the figure stepping into the moonlight.
Amanda's eyes widened in recognition, again. "You're Christian Grimm," she breathed, her heart pounding in her chest. She remembered the stories, the supervillain duo, The Brothers Grimm, who had terrorized the city years ago.
"That's it, keep him talking. I'll have you healed shortly," Dr. Douglas said, appearing beside Amanda as a golden ghost with the look of an older, distinguished gentlemen. The Ankh around her neck began to glow, the light spreading over her, knitting her wounds together and mending her broken ankle.
Chrisitan Grimm carefully circled the now glowing Amanda, his massive muscles flexing beneath his form fitting attire. "I must admit, I've never faced anyone with your particular... powers before. Quite intriguing, really."
Amanda scoffed, pushing herself to her feet, despite the protest of her still-healing ankle. "Yeah, well, I've never faced a pro wrestler who could throw me through glass like a rag doll, so I guess we're even."
Christian raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You're not even slightly intimidated, are you?" Christian asked, circling her like a predator.
Amanda shrugged, trying to hide the fact that her heart was still pounding in her chest. "Well, you're a wrestler turned villain. I've seen your match highlights. You might be big and strong, but you're also slow and predictable."
"Is that so?" Christian chuckled at her audacity. "If my brother were here, we would have all kinds of fun, the three of us."
"Hanz Grimm, twin brother, died during a shootout with police after a botched heist..." Dr. Douglas said telepathically to Amanda as if he were accessing the internet directly.
"I know, Doc. I saw it on TV as a kid..." Amanda answered the golden ghost, then paused as Christian gave her an odd stare with a lean to his head. "I'm sorry for your loss. Your brother, I mean." she said, directing the statement to Christian Grimm.
Christian nodded, "Thank you. It was a long time ago, but it still hurts. He was my twin, you know? We were more than just brothers. We were two halves of the same soul." He sighed, his eyes drifting to the moon.
"I'm sorry, but I don't see what that has to do with the Ruby Scarab Heart," Amanda interjected, her voice laced with both concern and impatience.
Christian's gaze lowered back to her, his eyes narrowing. "Hmm, you know about the Ruby Scarab Heart, but not the reason I want it. Were you operating on an anonymous tip? Or did my name come up with the rash of museum and jewelry robberies?" Christian asked, his voice edged with curiosity.
Amanda squinted at him, her brow furrowing as she tried to process the sudden change in topic. "So, you ARE the one who's been behind the recent heists. A distraction for the police and security forces while you steal the Ruby Scarab Heart."
Christian chuckled, spreading his arms wide in a mocking gesture. "Guilty as charged, my dear. It was our modus operandi, so to speak. Hanz would make all the noise, and I would sneak in like a cat burglar with no one the wiser."
Amanda's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "You're not getting away with this. I won't let you." She summoned her powers, her ankh necklace glowing brighter, the light spreading out to envelop her.
Christian grinned, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Oh, I do hope you'll try to stop me, young lady. It's been far too long since I've had a worthy opponent." He cracked his knuckles, a menacing sound that resonated through the construction site.
Amanda stood her ground, her eyes narrowing as she focused her powers. She reached out with her telekinetic abilities, grabbing hold of a nearby beam that had yet to be placed and launched it towards Christian.
Christian swiftly side-stepped the projectile, his reflexes astonishingly quick for someone of his size.
"Interesting. The telekinetic abilities are flowing much more freely through you than the empathetic or telepathic abilities. An inherent ability perhaps?" Doctor Howard Douglas, commented to Amanda, his voice echoing in her mind.
Amanda telekinetically threw another object, a chunk of ripped up concrete only to have Christian deftly catch it, spin and hurl it back toward her with lethal force. She barely regained control of it with her powers before it struck her.
She knew she needed to adapt, to find a way around his athleticism, but her powers felt sluggish and unpredictable.
Doctor Douglas' ghostly form shifted, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. "There's more to the powers contained in the Ankh than just telekinesis, Amanda. You have the ability to manipulate minds, stop his body dead in it tracks."
Amanda took a deep breath, her mind racing as she tried to focus. "I can't, Doc. I still only feel the telekinesis. But maybe I can use that on me directly, strengthening myself." She focused her powers inwardly, trying to boost her own speed, agility, and reflexes. It was difficult, but somehow, she managed to do it. She felt a surge of energy coursing through her body, and she moved faster, her reactions sharper than before.
Amanda nodded, her eyes narrowing as she focused a flurry of blows on Christian.
Christian grunted, his body swaying as if caught in a sudden gust of wind. He looked down at his chest, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What the hell? Why couldn't I..." he muttered, his voice trailing off as he struggled to maintain his balance.
Amanda was throwing physical punches, but they hit with the enhanced power of the Ankh and at a speed that Christian couldn't dodge.
"And now, the coup de grace." she said, only to receive an unexpected backhand from Christian.
The force of the blow sent her flying, her back slamming against the cold concrete. She slid a few feet, her vision swam, and her lips tasted coppery.
Doctor Douglas phased through the wall, appearing beside her, his expression grave. "Amanda, are you alright?"
Amanda coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Yeah, I think so. He hit me with his... his metal arm?" Her words came out in a raspy whisper, her breath coming in short, painful gasps.
"Yeah, old war wounds, sorry not sorry." Christian said as he approached the fallen heroine, his metal arm glinting in the moonlight.
Amanda lied there, her breath catching in her throat as she felt her ribs protest.
Christian looked down at her, a mix of surprise and grudging respect in his eyes. "I know this is going to sound corny, but I needed this. I truly did." He said as he picked her up and slammed her against the wall. "I don't know who this Doc is you keep mentioning. I mean, I'm sure he's talking to you through an earpiece or something, but if he's listening: You've both done well. I'm glad I tossed you into this construction area so we could have a good tussle without all of the alarms going off." His voice was gravelly, and he sounded out of breath, but there was a hint of admiration in his tone.
Amanda winced, her back throbbing from the impact with the wall. She knew she couldn't keep fighting like this, a few good shots, to his one devastating blow. But she also knew she couldn't let Christian Grimm get away with the Ruby Scarab Heart. She had to find a way to turn the tables.
"My abilities, allow me to see the Ruby Scarab Heart. I know you haven't taken it yet. If I wanted to. I could mentally grab it, setting off every alarm in this place, making it impossible for you to get your hands on it."
Christian shrugged, his massive metal arm flexing. "You mean, this?" Christian taunted, holding up a small, blood-red gemstone encased in a golden scarab. The ruby pulsed with an otherworldly light, casting eerie shadows across his face. "Remember our shtick, young lady. Lots of noise at the other museums, stores, allowed me to quietly slip in here and swap it with a fake." Christian said, his grin widened with the smugness of victory.
"What?" Amanda asked, her voice filled with disbelief and frustration. "You couldn't have! The alarms would have gone off, the security here is top-notch! It's impossible!"
Christian chuckled, shaking his head. "I am the best cat burglar around, young lady. There is no system I can't crack. No relic I can't fake to keep the cops guessing. And I rock this outfit better than any feminine feline." He explained, a hint of pride in his voice and a curl to his lip.
Amanda felt a pang of frustration. She had been so focused on the recent attacks that she hadn't even considered that Christian already made his move.
But she still had one move of her one left.
"Then I guess we're at an impasse." She said as she held up her hand, the fake Ruby Scarab Heart flying through the remaining security glass into her palm.
She held the fake aloft, allowing the light to catch it and reflect in a hundred different directions.
"You... you idiot! You just activated the alarms!" Christian roared, his form growing as the security lights activated, the stark white glow casting grotesque shadows across his face.
"Oops!" Amanda chuckled, her grip tightening on the fake.
Christian growled, his massive form shaking with barely contained rage. "You stupid witch! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
Amanda flinched, her free hand instinctively moving to her ankh necklace. She attempted to summon a telekinetic shield, but it was too late.
Christian placed his hands around her neck, his thumbs pressing into her windpipe. "I was going to use the ruby to create a new body for my brother! He was going to be reborn!" he said, his voice laced with a mix of desperation and madness. "He was going to be whole again, and we were going to be together. But you... you've ruined everything!"
Amanda struggled to breathe, her vision swimming as she clawed at his hands. She could feel her consciousness slipping away, her limbs growing heavy and sluggish.
"Doc! Please use your telepathy!" she cried, but Douglas was in his own stupor.
"That ruby can produce a new body?!" Dr. Douglas gasped, his form flickering in and out of existence.
"Doc!" Amanda screamed again, her voice barely above a whisper as she clawed at Christian's hands.
Dr. Douglas snapped back to reality, his form stabilizing. "Right, sorry, Amanda. I was just... taken aback by that revelation." He focused his telepathic abilities, trying to find any weaknesses in Christian's mental defenses.
As the words entered Amanda's mind, Christian slumped as if the life had been drained from him. His stranglehold on her loosened, and he fell to his knees. Amanda gasped for air, her lungs burning as she gulped down the cool night air.
"What did you do to him?" a voice asked.
Amanda rubbed her throat, unable to speak.
"I disrupted his mind, telepathically. With Christian in contact with you, Amanda, it was child's play. Something you definitely need to practice." Dr. Douglas explained.
Amanda coughed, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "Doc, I didn't ask that question" she said hoarsely.
A tall, lanky figure stepped out from the shadows, his trench coat billowing behind him. His hair was a mess of curls, and his beard was long and unkempt, giving him the appearance of a wild, disheveled professor. But his eyes, those were sharp and piercing, like a hawk zeroing in on its prey.
"Hi, miss. I'm Detective Walsh. I heard something about a... disturbance?" he said, his eyes scanning the scene, taking in the scattered construction materials, the broken glass, and the two figures on the ground.
Amanda coughed, wiping the blood from her lips. "Yeah, that's one way to put it. This is Christian Grimm, one of The Brothers Grimm. He was trying to steal the Ruby Scarab Heart."
Walsh raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between Amanda and the unconscious form of Christian. "And what are you? His new sidekick?" he asked, trying to stifle a laugh as he looked at the makeshift heroine before him. Her pink hair was half-hidden under a black beanie, and her tall, athletic frame was clad in a black sports bra and yoga pants that seemed more suited to a workout than a crime-fighting mission. Despite her unconventional attire, there was a certain toughness about her that made Detective Walsh pause.
"I'm Amanda Smart," she said, extending a hand toward the detective. Her voice was steady, despite the blood dripping from her lip and the bruises already forming on her face. Walsh hesitated for a moment before taking her hand and giving it a firm shake.
"Nice to meet you, Amanda Smart. And I must say, your attire is quite... interesting. For a hero."
Amanda smirked, pulling her hand back. "Thanks, I try. Now, can we focus on the task at hand? We need to secure the Ruby Scarab Heart and make sure Christian here doesn't cause any more trouble."
Walsh nodded, his expression turning serious. "Of course. I'll call in backup and have them secure the relic. But I'll also have to take you in too, because..." he said, gesturing to the fake in her hand. "I'm afraid you're also a person of interest in the case."
Amanda's eyes widened in surprise, and then her shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh.