Melody Chapter 2
Chapter two of my first story. Enjoy.
James looked away from the girl as Len and Mick jogged up behind him, Len wearing a blue shirt and sunglasses and Mick wearing a black shirt with flame trim. The girl was still playing, a more up-beat tune now, and the mice were still dancing in time with the music. It looked a bit like a mini-rave now. Her jars were also mostly full at this point. James signaled for the other Rogues to put in the special ear-plugs Piper had given all of them, suspecting hypnosis. “Did you see any of the others?” He asked once they were close enough.
“Not yet. Our apartment’s the closest to the park, though.” Mick said, shrugging and looking at the girl. “She really does look just like Piper. Think they’re related?”
“Not sure. Possibly. I’m getting mixed signals from her.” James said, looking back over the park. He smiled when he saw Digger, Mark, and Sam arrive together, probably met on the way, and signaled for them to put in their ear-plugs.
“Wot’s going on, now?” Digger asked, glancing between James and the girl. “You put ‘er up ta this?”
“Nope, just stumbled upon her myself a minutes ago. Really something, though, isn’t she. Spitting image of our own lovely maestro, right down to the little fluff-balls.” James said, putting on Innocent-Face-#-57™. “Speaking of Piper, here he comes now. Evening, Music Man.”
“James. What’s going on? Who is that?” Piper asked as he walked up to the other criminals, looking at the girl in a clearance version of his first costume.
“Don’t know. We can ask when she finishes playing. Is she using sub-harmonics?” James asked, turning back to the girl as she switched to a slower song. He was mildly surprised to see her glance in their direction.
“Only two, very low-level hypnosis. From the sound of it I’d say we’re dealing with an amateur attempt.” Piper said, suddenly wondering if he should have brought a few rats with him after all. Oh well, if it came down to it he could always call on a few wild ones.
The group looked up when the girl stopped playing, most of the mice running off when she did, four others climbing up her clothes to sit, two on each shoulder. James idly noted that the mice were wearing collars: one red, one blue, one green, and one yellow. She slowly walked around the stump, collecting her four jars and a green backpack that sat nearby, pouring the money she’d collecting into the backpack and leaving the jars on the stump as she walked over to the Rogues. “Hello. You’re the Keystone Rogues, right?” She asked, startling the seven gathered criminals. They’d thought they were well-enough disguised (because there’s no way anyone would recognize Trickster in a yellow shirt and blue vest, or Weather Wizard in sunglasses). The girl looked them over, seemingly evaluating them, before turning to Sam. “You’re the first Mirror Master, right? Sam Scudder, not Evan.”
“Er, right. My name’s Sam. Pretty sure I’m the only Mirror Master, though.” Sam said, wondering if someone was impersonating him without him knowing.
“Not where I’m from. Wish you were.” The girl said, moving on. Her gaze stopped at Mark for a second before moving on to James and Piper. James quickly grabbed Piper’s hand when he felt his friend start to shake for some reason. The girl smiled at this before stepping forward to stand directly in front of them. “Hello Father, my name’s Melody.”
TBC
James looked away from the girl as Len and Mick jogged up behind him, Len wearing a blue shirt and sunglasses and Mick wearing a black shirt with flame trim. The girl was still playing, a more up-beat tune now, and the mice were still dancing in time with the music. It looked a bit like a mini-rave now. Her jars were also mostly full at this point. James signaled for the other Rogues to put in the special ear-plugs Piper had given all of them, suspecting hypnosis. “Did you see any of the others?” He asked once they were close enough.
“Not yet. Our apartment’s the closest to the park, though.” Mick said, shrugging and looking at the girl. “She really does look just like Piper. Think they’re related?”
“Not sure. Possibly. I’m getting mixed signals from her.” James said, looking back over the park. He smiled when he saw Digger, Mark, and Sam arrive together, probably met on the way, and signaled for them to put in their ear-plugs.
“Wot’s going on, now?” Digger asked, glancing between James and the girl. “You put ‘er up ta this?”
“Nope, just stumbled upon her myself a minutes ago. Really something, though, isn’t she. Spitting image of our own lovely maestro, right down to the little fluff-balls.” James said, putting on Innocent-Face-#-57™. “Speaking of Piper, here he comes now. Evening, Music Man.”
“James. What’s going on? Who is that?” Piper asked as he walked up to the other criminals, looking at the girl in a clearance version of his first costume.
“Don’t know. We can ask when she finishes playing. Is she using sub-harmonics?” James asked, turning back to the girl as she switched to a slower song. He was mildly surprised to see her glance in their direction.
“Only two, very low-level hypnosis. From the sound of it I’d say we’re dealing with an amateur attempt.” Piper said, suddenly wondering if he should have brought a few rats with him after all. Oh well, if it came down to it he could always call on a few wild ones.
The group looked up when the girl stopped playing, most of the mice running off when she did, four others climbing up her clothes to sit, two on each shoulder. James idly noted that the mice were wearing collars: one red, one blue, one green, and one yellow. She slowly walked around the stump, collecting her four jars and a green backpack that sat nearby, pouring the money she’d collecting into the backpack and leaving the jars on the stump as she walked over to the Rogues. “Hello. You’re the Keystone Rogues, right?” She asked, startling the seven gathered criminals. They’d thought they were well-enough disguised (because there’s no way anyone would recognize Trickster in a yellow shirt and blue vest, or Weather Wizard in sunglasses). The girl looked them over, seemingly evaluating them, before turning to Sam. “You’re the first Mirror Master, right? Sam Scudder, not Evan.”
“Er, right. My name’s Sam. Pretty sure I’m the only Mirror Master, though.” Sam said, wondering if someone was impersonating him without him knowing.
“Not where I’m from. Wish you were.” The girl said, moving on. Her gaze stopped at Mark for a second before moving on to James and Piper. James quickly grabbed Piper’s hand when he felt his friend start to shake for some reason. The girl smiled at this before stepping forward to stand directly in front of them. “Hello Father, my name’s Melody.”
TBC