Original: "Stigmata Martyr," Part Twelve
I'm having a dilemma... I don't know whether I should unmask Carapace at the end of the story or leave the mystery. On the one hand, not unmasking her would be like ending a mystery novel without solving the crime (I'm looking at you, Season 1 of The Killing). On the other hand, I really like the idea of both Carapace and her secret identity (and yes, she's appeared in the story without a mask) being in the same story. I don't think it's ever been done before, and I'm pretty proud of it. So revealing her at the end would kind of take away from that a little bit.
I'll figure it out when the time comes. I figure there will be a "You know what? I am Iron Man" moment... or not. I just have to go with the flow. But thoughts? Opinions? Any idea who Carapace really is (not that I'll respond yay or nay to any suggestions ;D)?
AO3
Iverson expected Aline to take a leave of absence from the paper to serve as his personal source of Carapace information, so she had to make use of her employment while she could. She chose Saturday morning to make her visit, knowing it was the quietest day of the week and only a skeleton staff would be present. She went up to the offices and saw that, of course, S.O. Finn was at her station as usual. She looked up when Aline entered and blinked in surprise when she saw who it was. She stood and met Aline halfway across the bullpen.
“What are you doing here?”
“I need to look at the archives again.”
Finn crossed her arms over her chest. “What is it this time?”
“I need to find pre-fire property records.”
One blonde eyebrow rose. “You’re not going to find them here. Almost all of our pre-fire records went up in smoke like everything else.”
Aline’s shoulders sagged. The library had been a bust, so she hoped the newspaper could provide the link she needed.
“Who are you trying to find?”
“I can’t say. It’s a personal project.”
“Then I couldn’t let you use the archives anyway. What’s going on, Aline? Is this something to do with your next Carapace article?”
Aline shook her head. “No. In fact, I might not be writing Carapace articles anymore.”
“Says who?”
“It’s complicated.” She touched Finn’s sleeve. “I need to find any records of property ownership from before the fire. Please. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Finn’s steely demeanor wavered. She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone would witness her show of humanity, then guided Aline back to the stairwell.
“What is going on?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Finn widened her eyes and pressed her lips together in a firm line. “We’re not leaving this stairwell until you tell me why you look so het up. What do you mean you’re not writing Carapace articles anymore? Says who?”
“Says me.”
“Something’s happened. Something big. Tell me... the mayor? You went to see the mayor and now this. Did he tell you to stop writing about Carapace? He can’t do that. He doesn’t have any authority over what we print--”
Aline clapped her hand over Finn’s mouth. Fnn’s eyes widened in horror, and Aline was only too aware of what Finn would have done if it was anyone else’s hand. She would have pulled it back a few fingers short.
“Sydney Olivia, I’m begging you. Let this go.”
The anger in Finn’s eyes faded, replaced by concern. She had only revealed her true name one night after having too much to drink. She had been angry at herself, embarrassed she’d let the secret go when she’d fought so hard to keep it over the years. She tried to avoid Aline, tried excising her from her life. Instead Aline had gone to her apartment and revealed she was a lesbian. It was an unspoken agreement they would never use the information against one another, and using the name now revealed just how dire the situation was.
When Aline pulled her hand away, Finn said, “What do you need?”
“I need to know if a man named Isaiah McKeon owned property in 1889, and I need to know where it would be on a modern map.”
Finn chewed on her bottom lip. “Okay. You have to go to the county assessor’s office. They might have had records that survived the fire. I know someone there. I’ll give him a call so he knows you’re coming. Aline, whatever this is, promise me you’ll get out if it gets dangerous.”
Aline laughed and sagged forward. She put her head on Finn’s shoulder, and Finn pulled her close in an uncharacteristic hug. “Thank you, S.O.”
“Only for you. And if you ever full-name me again, I’ll chop you off at the knees.”
Aline laughed. “Sorry.”
“Let me know if you need any more help, okay?”
“Yeah. Promise. Uh, the assessor’s office.”
“Do you need directions?”
Aline shook her head. “No. It’s in one of the buildings behind City Hall. I’ll find it. What’s your friend’s name?”
“Marcus. He’ll find you.”
“Okay. S.O., thank you.”
“Promise to tell me what this is all about when things settle down?”
“I’ll tell you everything I can.”
Finn considered it and then accepted the deal with a nod. “Stay safe.”
“I will.”
Aline headed downstairs. Lisbet was at work and had no idea what Aline was up to. If she had her way, Lisbet would never know she and her mother had been in danger. She didn’t want Inger to think she owed a debt; she wanted to earn the older Dahl’s respect and approval on her own merits. She kept a keen eye on the rooftops as she walked, looking down only to make sure she didn’t bump into people or step in front of a carriage. She wanted to spot Carapace, wanted to make her search for McKeon moot, but the superhero was stubbornly absent as she crossed town.
#
When Aline got home, she was frustrated and in a wholly foul mood. Finn’s friend at the assessor’s office hadn’t been willing to shirk his duties to help her so she’d been forced to wait until he had some free time. That didn’t happen until five o’clock when the work day actually ended. They found two residences registered to Isaiah McKeon that dated to 1875, but it was too dark for her to investigate either of them. As an apology for making her wait Marcus provided her with a map of the city before the fire and another of the modern layout. She had examined them on the streetcar as best she could in the dying light, and she was astonished at the difference. In just twenty short years the city had expanded on all possible sides, spreading like a wildfire into neighboring areas. It was little wonder criminals had been able to thrive for so long without being stopped. The city was a locomotive churning forward with no time to stop and pick up the dropped pieces.
Lisbet was lying in bed reading when Aline got home, and she quickly shoved the book under the pillow when the door opened. “There you are. I’ve been worried.”
“I’m sorry. I should have left a note, but I had no idea I’d be gone so long.” She leaned against the wall to take off her shoes. “What are you reading?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s silliness.”
Aline went to the bed and reached across Lisbet to retrieve the hidden book. Lisbet tried to distract her by ticking her midsection, but Aline simply squirmed and evaded. She turned the book over and looked at the cover. “The Wind in the Willows. I’ve heard of this. Why did you hide it?”
“It’s embarrassing. It’s for children.”
Aline crawled over Lisbet and scooted back against the headboard. “Some of the best fiction is written for children. Adult stuff is full of all sorts of nonsense. How far are you?”
Lisbet cuddled close and put her head on Aline’s shoulder. She reached for the book and turned it to the page she was on. “Not very far.”
“Do you want me to read to you?”
“No. I’m trying to be better at reading English. I can speak it well, but reading...” She sighed. “If I want to be a writer I cannot be illiterate.”
Aline said, “That’s true. So you read to me.”
“You’ve been out all day. You probably want to eat first.”
“No, I’m fine. We can read to the end of the chapter at least.”
Lisbet said, “I’ll probably be slow and mess up a lot.”
“That’s fine.”
“Okay...” She rearranged herself so she could see the page better. When she found the spot where she’d left off she began to read aloud.
#
After reading and dinner, they undressed and got back into bed. Lisbet fell asleep almost immediately. Aline spooned her from behind and listened to the rhythm of her breathing. Mayor Iverson hadn’t specified when he wanted the information about Carapace, but she assumed she would keep to the same schedule of delivering on Tuesdays. It didn’t give her much time to track down Isaiah and set up a meeting with Carapace to work out what their plan would be. She knew that if push came to shove she would give Iverson accurate information. When it came to a choice between Carapace and Lisbet, there was no question which one she would protect.
She was on the edge of drifting off when she heard a clatter outside. There usually wasn’t much point in paying attention to every overturned trash can or rattle of the fire escape. If it wasn’t someone sneaking out for a smoke, it was a stray cat or some crime they were better off not getting involved with. That thought made her ashamed enough that she lifted her head and looked toward the window just to have the semblance of caring.
Someone was standing on the fire escape outside her window, stooping slightly to look through the glass.
Aline’s breath caught in her throat and her entire body tensed. She clapped a hand over her mouth and silenced the cry of alarm, realizing a heartbeat later that the silhouette was wearing a long overcoat and a gas mask.
Carapace.
Lisbet stirred, pulled from her slumber by Aline’s startle. She murmured for her mother, and Aline turned to stroke her hair and shush her back to sleep with a quick reassurance in Danish that everything was all right. The tension faded from her lover, and Aline pecked her on the temple and slipped carefully away from her. She looked at the figure in the window and gestured upward toward the roof. She thought she saw the head nod, and then the woman turned and began to ascend.
Aline put on her boots and threw a jacket over her nightgown. She looked at the bed once more to make certain Lisbet had gone back to sleep before she left the apartment.
Carapace was waiting for her on the flat part of the roof, a sliver of black against the night. Behind her the moon illuminated the flat, dark expanse of the Puget Sound. There were ships out there, lit and slowly traveling toward the harbor. Aline tugged the halves of her robe tighter around her and approached the superhero cautiously.
“I’m sorry.”
“What for?” Her voice was the same hollow, manufactured noise it always was, but something about it tonight seemed more human. Without a clear view of the mask or the costume Aline found it easier to believe Carapace was just an ordinary person.
“I’ve been invading your privacy. Trying to find you. I wouldn’t have done it unless it was for a good cause, and it is.”
“And what would that be?”
Aline sighed and explained everything that she’d been through; Stringer and Iverson, the ‘job’ offer, their threat against Lisbet.
“Lisbet is the... the woman I saw you with?”
“The woman who was sleeping on my divan,” Aline said, unable to admit the truth in front of a woman whose name she didn’t even know.
Carapace nodded. “Right. Her.”
“You understand why I have to do it. I can let Iverson destroy her life.”
“No, you can’t. She has nothing to do with me. I’d never let her suffer. Thank you for warning me. I knew Iverson was planning something but I didn’t know what it was.” She stepped toward the edge of the roof.
Aline moved closer to stop her. “Wait! That’s not all I have to say. I’m going to tell them what I know, but you can be sure I only know what you want me to know. Like what you did with the warehouse address. You told them where to be and set up an ambush. Only this time I promise I won’t get in the way and bungle things up.”
“That’s a dangerous game to play,” Carapace said. “If they find out you’re lying to them, things could be worse for you.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. We don’t have the luxury of coming up with a perfect plan. Stringer’s a rock rolling down a hill and we’re just doing whatever we can to stop it and protect people. For now, working together to feed Iverson and Stringer just enough information they can hang themselves.”
“That puts a lot of pressure on me.”
Aline grinned. “I have faith in you. The whole city does.”
“It will only take one failure to erase all that goodwill.”
Aline didn’t know how to respond to that. Finally she said, “Hopefully you’re showing us the way. You’re proving we don’t have to just accept the way things are. You can’t fail because you’ve already succeeded.”
Carapace sighed, her shoulders rolling with the movement as she looked off the edge of the building. “Thank you. For that, and for warning me about Mayor Iverson’s plan.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to think about that. I’ll be in touch.” She went to the fire escape and climbed down. Aline waited until she was gone before she went back inside. She passed the apartment where Ginny lived with her mother. She eased open the door to her apartment and glanced at the bed to see it was empty. She gave up the pretense of quiet and looked around.
“Lisbet?”
“Ally?”
She followed the voice to the far corner of the bedroom. Lisbet had pulled the blankets off the bed and had them gathered around her. Aline frowned and crouched next to her, smoothing the hair back away from her face.
“Lis, what...”
“You were late. And then you were gone.” She sniffled and wiped at her face. “When my brother... when he...” She squeezed her eyes shut. “He was just gone, too. We didn’t know where he was. And he just... never came home.”
Aline hugged her. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I just had to go outside for a second. I didn’t think you’d wake up. I’m sorry. Sorry, darling.”
Lisbet clung tightly to her. “I can’t lose you, Aline.”
“You won’t.” Aline sank onto the floor and pulled Lisbet to her. “I promise. We’ll be together whatever it takes.” She rocked Lisbet until she was calm enough to get back into bed, looking at the empty window and hoping she could follow through on the promise.
I'll figure it out when the time comes. I figure there will be a "You know what? I am Iron Man" moment... or not. I just have to go with the flow. But thoughts? Opinions? Any idea who Carapace really is (not that I'll respond yay or nay to any suggestions ;D)?
AO3
Iverson expected Aline to take a leave of absence from the paper to serve as his personal source of Carapace information, so she had to make use of her employment while she could. She chose Saturday morning to make her visit, knowing it was the quietest day of the week and only a skeleton staff would be present. She went up to the offices and saw that, of course, S.O. Finn was at her station as usual. She looked up when Aline entered and blinked in surprise when she saw who it was. She stood and met Aline halfway across the bullpen.
“What are you doing here?”
“I need to look at the archives again.”
Finn crossed her arms over her chest. “What is it this time?”
“I need to find pre-fire property records.”
One blonde eyebrow rose. “You’re not going to find them here. Almost all of our pre-fire records went up in smoke like everything else.”
Aline’s shoulders sagged. The library had been a bust, so she hoped the newspaper could provide the link she needed.
“Who are you trying to find?”
“I can’t say. It’s a personal project.”
“Then I couldn’t let you use the archives anyway. What’s going on, Aline? Is this something to do with your next Carapace article?”
Aline shook her head. “No. In fact, I might not be writing Carapace articles anymore.”
“Says who?”
“It’s complicated.” She touched Finn’s sleeve. “I need to find any records of property ownership from before the fire. Please. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Finn’s steely demeanor wavered. She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone would witness her show of humanity, then guided Aline back to the stairwell.
“What is going on?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Finn widened her eyes and pressed her lips together in a firm line. “We’re not leaving this stairwell until you tell me why you look so het up. What do you mean you’re not writing Carapace articles anymore? Says who?”
“Says me.”
“Something’s happened. Something big. Tell me... the mayor? You went to see the mayor and now this. Did he tell you to stop writing about Carapace? He can’t do that. He doesn’t have any authority over what we print--”
Aline clapped her hand over Finn’s mouth. Fnn’s eyes widened in horror, and Aline was only too aware of what Finn would have done if it was anyone else’s hand. She would have pulled it back a few fingers short.
“Sydney Olivia, I’m begging you. Let this go.”
The anger in Finn’s eyes faded, replaced by concern. She had only revealed her true name one night after having too much to drink. She had been angry at herself, embarrassed she’d let the secret go when she’d fought so hard to keep it over the years. She tried to avoid Aline, tried excising her from her life. Instead Aline had gone to her apartment and revealed she was a lesbian. It was an unspoken agreement they would never use the information against one another, and using the name now revealed just how dire the situation was.
When Aline pulled her hand away, Finn said, “What do you need?”
“I need to know if a man named Isaiah McKeon owned property in 1889, and I need to know where it would be on a modern map.”
Finn chewed on her bottom lip. “Okay. You have to go to the county assessor’s office. They might have had records that survived the fire. I know someone there. I’ll give him a call so he knows you’re coming. Aline, whatever this is, promise me you’ll get out if it gets dangerous.”
Aline laughed and sagged forward. She put her head on Finn’s shoulder, and Finn pulled her close in an uncharacteristic hug. “Thank you, S.O.”
“Only for you. And if you ever full-name me again, I’ll chop you off at the knees.”
Aline laughed. “Sorry.”
“Let me know if you need any more help, okay?”
“Yeah. Promise. Uh, the assessor’s office.”
“Do you need directions?”
Aline shook her head. “No. It’s in one of the buildings behind City Hall. I’ll find it. What’s your friend’s name?”
“Marcus. He’ll find you.”
“Okay. S.O., thank you.”
“Promise to tell me what this is all about when things settle down?”
“I’ll tell you everything I can.”
Finn considered it and then accepted the deal with a nod. “Stay safe.”
“I will.”
Aline headed downstairs. Lisbet was at work and had no idea what Aline was up to. If she had her way, Lisbet would never know she and her mother had been in danger. She didn’t want Inger to think she owed a debt; she wanted to earn the older Dahl’s respect and approval on her own merits. She kept a keen eye on the rooftops as she walked, looking down only to make sure she didn’t bump into people or step in front of a carriage. She wanted to spot Carapace, wanted to make her search for McKeon moot, but the superhero was stubbornly absent as she crossed town.
#
When Aline got home, she was frustrated and in a wholly foul mood. Finn’s friend at the assessor’s office hadn’t been willing to shirk his duties to help her so she’d been forced to wait until he had some free time. That didn’t happen until five o’clock when the work day actually ended. They found two residences registered to Isaiah McKeon that dated to 1875, but it was too dark for her to investigate either of them. As an apology for making her wait Marcus provided her with a map of the city before the fire and another of the modern layout. She had examined them on the streetcar as best she could in the dying light, and she was astonished at the difference. In just twenty short years the city had expanded on all possible sides, spreading like a wildfire into neighboring areas. It was little wonder criminals had been able to thrive for so long without being stopped. The city was a locomotive churning forward with no time to stop and pick up the dropped pieces.
Lisbet was lying in bed reading when Aline got home, and she quickly shoved the book under the pillow when the door opened. “There you are. I’ve been worried.”
“I’m sorry. I should have left a note, but I had no idea I’d be gone so long.” She leaned against the wall to take off her shoes. “What are you reading?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s silliness.”
Aline went to the bed and reached across Lisbet to retrieve the hidden book. Lisbet tried to distract her by ticking her midsection, but Aline simply squirmed and evaded. She turned the book over and looked at the cover. “The Wind in the Willows. I’ve heard of this. Why did you hide it?”
“It’s embarrassing. It’s for children.”
Aline crawled over Lisbet and scooted back against the headboard. “Some of the best fiction is written for children. Adult stuff is full of all sorts of nonsense. How far are you?”
Lisbet cuddled close and put her head on Aline’s shoulder. She reached for the book and turned it to the page she was on. “Not very far.”
“Do you want me to read to you?”
“No. I’m trying to be better at reading English. I can speak it well, but reading...” She sighed. “If I want to be a writer I cannot be illiterate.”
Aline said, “That’s true. So you read to me.”
“You’ve been out all day. You probably want to eat first.”
“No, I’m fine. We can read to the end of the chapter at least.”
Lisbet said, “I’ll probably be slow and mess up a lot.”
“That’s fine.”
“Okay...” She rearranged herself so she could see the page better. When she found the spot where she’d left off she began to read aloud.
#
After reading and dinner, they undressed and got back into bed. Lisbet fell asleep almost immediately. Aline spooned her from behind and listened to the rhythm of her breathing. Mayor Iverson hadn’t specified when he wanted the information about Carapace, but she assumed she would keep to the same schedule of delivering on Tuesdays. It didn’t give her much time to track down Isaiah and set up a meeting with Carapace to work out what their plan would be. She knew that if push came to shove she would give Iverson accurate information. When it came to a choice between Carapace and Lisbet, there was no question which one she would protect.
She was on the edge of drifting off when she heard a clatter outside. There usually wasn’t much point in paying attention to every overturned trash can or rattle of the fire escape. If it wasn’t someone sneaking out for a smoke, it was a stray cat or some crime they were better off not getting involved with. That thought made her ashamed enough that she lifted her head and looked toward the window just to have the semblance of caring.
Someone was standing on the fire escape outside her window, stooping slightly to look through the glass.
Aline’s breath caught in her throat and her entire body tensed. She clapped a hand over her mouth and silenced the cry of alarm, realizing a heartbeat later that the silhouette was wearing a long overcoat and a gas mask.
Carapace.
Lisbet stirred, pulled from her slumber by Aline’s startle. She murmured for her mother, and Aline turned to stroke her hair and shush her back to sleep with a quick reassurance in Danish that everything was all right. The tension faded from her lover, and Aline pecked her on the temple and slipped carefully away from her. She looked at the figure in the window and gestured upward toward the roof. She thought she saw the head nod, and then the woman turned and began to ascend.
Aline put on her boots and threw a jacket over her nightgown. She looked at the bed once more to make certain Lisbet had gone back to sleep before she left the apartment.
Carapace was waiting for her on the flat part of the roof, a sliver of black against the night. Behind her the moon illuminated the flat, dark expanse of the Puget Sound. There were ships out there, lit and slowly traveling toward the harbor. Aline tugged the halves of her robe tighter around her and approached the superhero cautiously.
“I’m sorry.”
“What for?” Her voice was the same hollow, manufactured noise it always was, but something about it tonight seemed more human. Without a clear view of the mask or the costume Aline found it easier to believe Carapace was just an ordinary person.
“I’ve been invading your privacy. Trying to find you. I wouldn’t have done it unless it was for a good cause, and it is.”
“And what would that be?”
Aline sighed and explained everything that she’d been through; Stringer and Iverson, the ‘job’ offer, their threat against Lisbet.
“Lisbet is the... the woman I saw you with?”
“The woman who was sleeping on my divan,” Aline said, unable to admit the truth in front of a woman whose name she didn’t even know.
Carapace nodded. “Right. Her.”
“You understand why I have to do it. I can let Iverson destroy her life.”
“No, you can’t. She has nothing to do with me. I’d never let her suffer. Thank you for warning me. I knew Iverson was planning something but I didn’t know what it was.” She stepped toward the edge of the roof.
Aline moved closer to stop her. “Wait! That’s not all I have to say. I’m going to tell them what I know, but you can be sure I only know what you want me to know. Like what you did with the warehouse address. You told them where to be and set up an ambush. Only this time I promise I won’t get in the way and bungle things up.”
“That’s a dangerous game to play,” Carapace said. “If they find out you’re lying to them, things could be worse for you.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. We don’t have the luxury of coming up with a perfect plan. Stringer’s a rock rolling down a hill and we’re just doing whatever we can to stop it and protect people. For now, working together to feed Iverson and Stringer just enough information they can hang themselves.”
“That puts a lot of pressure on me.”
Aline grinned. “I have faith in you. The whole city does.”
“It will only take one failure to erase all that goodwill.”
Aline didn’t know how to respond to that. Finally she said, “Hopefully you’re showing us the way. You’re proving we don’t have to just accept the way things are. You can’t fail because you’ve already succeeded.”
Carapace sighed, her shoulders rolling with the movement as she looked off the edge of the building. “Thank you. For that, and for warning me about Mayor Iverson’s plan.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to think about that. I’ll be in touch.” She went to the fire escape and climbed down. Aline waited until she was gone before she went back inside. She passed the apartment where Ginny lived with her mother. She eased open the door to her apartment and glanced at the bed to see it was empty. She gave up the pretense of quiet and looked around.
“Lisbet?”
“Ally?”
She followed the voice to the far corner of the bedroom. Lisbet had pulled the blankets off the bed and had them gathered around her. Aline frowned and crouched next to her, smoothing the hair back away from her face.
“Lis, what...”
“You were late. And then you were gone.” She sniffled and wiped at her face. “When my brother... when he...” She squeezed her eyes shut. “He was just gone, too. We didn’t know where he was. And he just... never came home.”
Aline hugged her. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I just had to go outside for a second. I didn’t think you’d wake up. I’m sorry. Sorry, darling.”
Lisbet clung tightly to her. “I can’t lose you, Aline.”
“You won’t.” Aline sank onto the floor and pulled Lisbet to her. “I promise. We’ll be together whatever it takes.” She rocked Lisbet until she was calm enough to get back into bed, looking at the empty window and hoping she could follow through on the promise.