Den of Sin(closed for Franklin Castle)

[Ambrosia_64]

(D : This is scary and messed up and is going to drive her NOT to be a mask dude! *Flails!* She'll be too traumatized to ever risk herself again at this rate!)

The car was moving, gaining some speed as the gang outside gave an alarmed warning-but Aimee held fast to the gear shift even in her terror-turning her head away despite the pain it brought to her caught hair-and attempting to knee the handsy bastard who had a hold of her underwear, Aimee sobbed as her bra was yanked, the straps holding-but her breasts molested within the cups all the same as painful force was applied to her delicate rib cage.

Please, please no-

The front of the car crashed into a light post-and the airbags, despite the slow speed, deployed, knocking men aside-allowing Aimee to turn and attempt to scramble over the man next to her for the open door.

[franklincastle]

The men grunted in surprise as the airbags were unexpectedly deployed...that was NOT what they were concentrating on, but they also weren't going to lose their prize so easily, they piled out of the car after her but before they could continue their assault they each wound up with a bullet in the brain. "Come with me if you want to live." Ray told the half dressed girl even as he holstered his pistol. There were no threats in the immediate area, but he had serious doubts as to the girls ability to make it to her home under current conditions. "Oh...crap." he said softly when he saw her mask. Was she...trying to be a hero? Even with the Masked Killer out there? What was she THINKING? And what was he going to do about it?

(And with that...I fear I must get to bed. I enjoyed it and hope you did as well. And hopefully we can pick this up later. Have a good night. )

[Ambrosia_64]

One by one, each of them men dropped dead-and an already hysterical Aimee thought for sure she was done for-that the Mask Killer had been in on this all along, or-or-

"Come with me if you want to live"

Those crystalline blue eyes stared at the hole blown in one of the thug's heads, her eyes glassy with terror. Her world tilted, spun-did a strange wobbly thing and before she knew it-she was on her knees cradling her fractured wrist, struggling to keep her lunch down, struggling not to faint.

"Y-you killed them..." She said in a far away voice, a vulnerable sounding timbre that should tell him just how close the poor girl was to losing it. Actually-if he knew the symptoms, she might be on the verge of going into shock. She was white as a sheet and trembling, seemingly unaware her costume was unzipped to her navel, red and black laced breasts on display, her bare forearms covered in red angry marks that would soon be bruises. Blonde hair was half out of it's ponytail, the would be heroine's hat lying on the concrete a few feet from her.

Aimee wanted to look away, she desperately did-she had never seen a dead person. She had never seen a bullet wound up close and...her shivering increased. He had killed them, he was a murderer, what happened to due process what happened to-they would have released them anyway! She thought, and then she was horrified with herself for thinking it, for her lack of faith in...

Her eyes filled with tears. They were dead. She, Aimee Summers, Righteous Rage, had just gotten people murdered because she couldn't fend them off herself. And if she couldn't even handle a gang of thugs, what on earth would she do if and when the Mask Killer heard about a female hero in D.C.? Assuming she even SURVIVED that long...

She looked down at her costume, shakily zipping the red spandex back up with her good hand, trembling fingers to her black vest before she remembered they had nearly -raped her-. And that was what the Mask Killer would do, he would tape it for millions and strangle her with her own costume like he had the Blue Streak-

"Oh, oh God-what am I doing?" Aimee asked herself as the shivers took full hold of petite form.

Shock, she was going into shock.

(I hope you do pick this back up. This was sad. I want to get to some nice hero stuff soon.)

[franklincastle]

"Y-you killed them..." She said, down on her knees looking like she was about to throw up...and leave DNA evidence behind for anyone who has the time and resources to try to figure out what had happened here. He tried not to think about it like that...tried not to look at her cleavage which was know revealed for the world to see...but he was to jaded for the one and to much of a man for the other.

he made no reply to her statement...what could he say besides belabor the obvious?...but his eyes narrowed with concern as he took in her other symptoms besides her state of undress. She had few physical injuries that he could see (and he could see most of her) aside from some bruising and a possible broken or sprained wrist...but the rest of it...her inability to stand, her pale countenance, her trembling and her uncertain voice all pointed to the fact she was not dealing with this well, and was on the verge of going into shock. Understandable, under the circumstances, but damn inconvenient.

"Oh, oh God-what am I doing?" He didn't know the answer to that. He didn't know what she was doing or what she was trying to accomplish, but he did know what they...or at least he...had to do now. There was almost certainly DNA evidence from her in the vehicle...they'd obviously used her long hair as a weapon against her...and he didn't have time to clean it up, so he set a five minute timer on an incendiary bomb and placed it in the vehicle. That would take care of the car, and a quick look around only revealed two likely items on the ground that had been taken from her...a hat and a belt...and he quickly secured those two items as well. Which left only one issue...the most difficult issue.

The girl herself.

"We have to go." he said softly as he knelt down next to the girl, using the most gentle voice he could while still concealing his identity, but given the fact that her shaking, if anything, had only increased he wasn't sure words alone would get through, so he reached out a hand and slowly...very slowly...reached for her shoulder, ready to recoil the instant she indicated she was not ready to be touched, but he knew they had only a matter of minutes before even more men arrived and she was in no condition for a fight. He'd carry her out if he had to, even if he had to knock her out first, but he really hoped she'd come with him of her own free will.

[Ambrosia_64]

Aimee's good, trembling hand still clung to the vest, pressing shakily against her collarbone as if, despite the spandex and kevlar being securely zipped up-she feared they would come apart again.

He was doing something, something with the car-but Aimee couldn't focus, couldn't think too hard about anything.

"G-Go?" She repeated in the same far away voice, flinching a little when he touched her-blue eyes widening a fearful fraction, snapping to him. He spoke softly, he was trying to help her-yes, she had to go, they had to go, because these men were dead and, and-

She had to pull herself together, somehow, some awful how, she was okay, she wasn't raped, she wasn't murdered- Her knees trembled as they stood, Aimee cradling her wrist, still trembling, still suffering from mild shock. "I'm s-sorry, I just..." She tried to explain, unable to speak much more than that as she looked again to the dead men-then away, quickly away.

[Ambrosia_64]

(You can whisk her away if you wish~!)

[franklincastle]

"Yes, go." He repeated, grateful she'd focused at least that much and while she'd flinched slightly at his touch, she hadn't panicked or pulled away so he grabbed her more firmly by her shoulder as they stood.

"It wasn't your fault." he assured her in response to her apology, and he mostly believed it. It was THEIR fault she'd been attacked, and they had paid for their crimes for a change.

But they REALLY needed to go. "Come on." he urged her. "I have a friend who can help. SHE'S a medic." It was no mistake he'd emphasized his friends sex...that would hopefully help encourage her that he was someone she could trust. "I have a van just over here." he said, gently, and if that didn't work, with a bit more force urging her in that direction. But he wasn't going to force her. After what she'd just been through, he knew it was important she gain some measure of control back.

[Ambrosia_64]

Aimee's trembling eased a little, even if she was still pale, still traumatized. Not her fault. Just a mistake. She could learn from mistakes, it was okay-

"S-should have...should have checked the back..." She mumured as he urged her along, moving unsteadily on her sneakered feet. A medic. Yes, that would be a good idea-she'd hurt her wrist, she was banged up-she had been so afraid.

"T-thank you." Aimee said, going with him towards the van, still a little confused. "I thought, thought it was all over..." She was looking a bit better, in the very least-being spoken to, being led along to safety.

(*Pets Aimee* I'm glad he's being nice.)

[franklincastle]

'Yes...yes you should have.' he thought but did not say. This wasn't the time to assign blame, it was time to deal with the aftermath and he was grateful she was making it easy for him and not resisting his firm hand guiding her to the van.

"Your welcome." he said as he opened the door to the passenger side of his van. He released his grip on her shoulder but stood ready to assist her if she stumbled trying to get into the slightly high passenger door. "And your safe now...I won't let anyone hurt you." It was an empty promise...he may not have been able to prevent it if they got caught...but that wasn't what she needed to hear right now.

(The Damsel in Distress brings out the best in him. )

[Ambrosia_64]

He helped her into the van and Aimee settled back into the seat, her injured wrist on her lap. She nodded slowly, gratefully at his assurance-numbly reaching for the seatbelt before she looked into the space behind her seat.

How long had he been in action? Did it get any easier? Did she really want to ask the question?

[franklincastle]

It wasn't an ordinary van by any means...but it was designed to LOOK like an ordinary van to the casual observer so when she looked in the back, all she'd notice was a collection of tools and some well-used boxes, she probably wouldn't notice the van's interior was a bit smaller than it should be because all the exotic equipment was hidden behind secret panels.

He noted with approval that she had enough presence of mind to fasten her seat belt before he pulled out into traffic, and in a matter of less than 15 minutes they were pulling up to a hotel, one which he'd secured with funds from the various drug lords he'd taken down and couldn't be traced back to him, and one which he'd made certain always had a secluded cabin for his use which he now pulled up inside. "Let's get you inside and tend to your injuries." he told her. "If you tell me your size, I'll have my partner bring you some clothes. There's a fully equipped bathroom inside as well. Is there anything else you need?"

[Ambrosia_64]

Aimee looked out and up at the massive hotel, biting her lip. "Won't someone see us?" She worried, turning back to him. "Four, but..."

She looked down at her costume, frowning a little as she touched at her mask. She wasn't...wasn't going to quit, was she?

It seemed silly but...she had to keep her identity secret. "Who are...I mean, do you have a mask name?"

(Feel free to FF)

[franklincastle]

"No." He assured her. "This is a private entrance, I designed it to be used unseen." he escorted her inside the cabin, and it to was nothing out of the ordinary. A simple room with a bed, a desk and a chair and another door that evidently led to the bathroom. "Have a seat on the bed." he instructed her, then hesitated slightly as he recalled what she'd just been through and how she might take that. "Or the chair and I'll put a splint on your arm. After that, you can take a shower if you like..." he knew rape victims often felt the need to get 'clean'. My partner should be here with a change of clothes by then."

he frowned slightly at her question, though she couldn't see it under his mask. "My partner calls me Raptor, and that names been in a few police files as well." he admitted. He'd never seen the point of having a name for his other identity...he didn't want people to know he existed, but Catherine liked it,and he humored her.

[Ambrosia_64]

"There wasn't any room to fight back..." Aimee mumbled softly as he reminded her of the wrist-not that she could have forgotten the throbbing ache in the joint. She frowned at the bed and -did- choose the chair, but if she distrusted him, it certainly didn't show.

After all, she had already gone along with him, it would be silly to doubt him too much -now-.

And the name helped. A small assurance he wasn't someone more sinister. "I haven't really decided on one yet..." The words felt strange in her mouth. Yet? So she hadn't been driven to give up, it seemed.

Her fingers touched at the double R.R. symbol. "It all...seems kind of juvenile." She confessed, running her hand through her half ruined ponytail-pulling the band of elastic from the golden locks. "But-I just remember, you know, how it used to be. People to look up to." A bit of color to her cheeks, vibrant eyes shifting to him. "Not that I'm anyone to look up to." She said weakly, a ghost of a half smile.

"I didn't think...I kind of thought you were a myth." She admitted, the talking helping her feel better, feel -normal-.

[franklincastle]

he hesitated slightly and noticeably at her comment that there'd been no room to fight back, which wasn't strictly the case. he had some techniques at his disposal that had come in handy in similar situations, and there was always the matter of tech...but did he really want to encourage her? Did he want to get involved (and be responsible) on that level? And was this really the right time to start what she could take as criticism? It was the last thought that made his decision for him...this wasn't the time for that...and so he let the comment pass as he extracted the first aid kit from the cabinet.

Nor did he react to her decision to take the chair rather then the bed. He didn't take it as a measure of distrust...if he wanted her, he could take her, and they probably both realized it...but if it made her feel better, he certainly wasn't going to make an issue of that either.

"What's R & R stand for?" he asked when she revealed she hadn't chosen a code name for herself...he'd thought that was what the insignia on her uniform was supposed to represent. he didn't figure it was to personal a question, it was emblazoned in plain sight, and talking about it might help distract her from what he had to do next.

He didn't know what to make of her comment that it was juvenile, but he to remembered how it used to be, and he shook his head as she took out her ponytail and drew his attention to her face...and how very young she was. "Not juvenile." he gently corrected her. "But idealistic, and there's nothing wrong with that...as long as you don't forget the practical aspect of it, and the world we have to deal with." That, it seemed, she had forgotten, but perhaps her experience tonight would serve as a wake-up call...one that hadn't gotten her killed, or worse.

he chuckled softly at her admission that she'd thought him a myth. "Thanks...I designed it that way." he admitted as he knelt next to her and extracted a splint from the kit. "I'm going to have to align the bone before I splint it." he warned her. "It'll hurt like blazes for a moment, but it has to be done for it to heal right, or you'll run into worse problems later."

[Ambrosia_64]

Aimee's slight blush deepened. "...righteous rage." She mumbled in the smallest of voices possible. "I-I didn't really settle on it-" She hastened to add, blue eyes watching him take down the kit, cautioning her about idealism-

"The world we have to deal with..." Aimee repeated, a dejected sort of expression, her eyes far, far away. Could it really be so dark? No...no...how could it be? Slowly, she shook her head. "Those men aren't the world." She said softly, eyes focusing on her poor wrist and arm.

"There's a lot of good out there still-beaten down and resigned to men like those gang members, but...it's there. I believe in it." She had to. Otherwise, what on earth was she fighting for? The past two nights hadn't been Aimee's only efforts-she had spent two years training to fight, to hold her own in hand to hand, getting laid out on the mat time and again until she could get it right. She had spent weeks prepping a costume, preparing alternate identities to fall back on, setting up a small but growing network of informants.

All this effort to stand for something, to show people they weren't alone, that hope wasn't dead.

That someone still believed in right and wrong.

Raptor was smart to stay a myth. The Mask Killer wouldn't hunt down what might be a lie...there was safety in shadow. But shadows weren't very inspiring.

Well, to the common man anyway-to Aimee, this man was nothing short of amazing, if he was really out serving justice. But...the killing...

"Okay." She said nervously but resolutely, a brave face-that froze up in a pained expression as he realigned the bone, her free hand pressing firmly to her lips to muffle the cry of pain.

Deep breaths, deeeeeep breaths- "I-I'm going to have to type one handed-" She said, half to distract herself, half just to talk to him. God-it'd probably earn her another stupid speech about "looking good" if she couldn't be "good at her job".

[franklincastle]

"Righteous Rage?" He repeated her 'mask' name, the one she didn't seem to be so sure about, though sure enough to emblazon it's initials on her uniform. "Seems appropriate, though you'll have to see what the media thinks, if you decide to go that way." And if she decided to continue in her quest was the unmentioned elephant in the room.

"Not all of it." He agreed when she stated the men who had attacked her weren't a representative of the world. "Though a good part of it, mainly those in power and those you'll have to deal with on a nightly basis."

"Would you like a bullet to bite down on?" He asked her gently when he saw her prepare to for him to set the bone, and though it might have sounded sarcastic, he was quite serious. Like most sayings, it had it's basis in fact.

"And you could always try voice activated software." he noted when she remarked about typing one-handed, even as the detective part of him took note of the fact she'd just revealed something about her secret identity. Something else she'd have to watch out for, though once again this wasn't the time for a lecture.

"Get ready." he warned her, after she'd either rejected or accepted his offer of a bullet, then he took hold of her wrist and arm and quickly and firmly popped the bone back into place, then extracting a splint and beginning to strap it to her arm.

[Ambrosia_64]

"...mainly those in power-"

Aimee thought about her asshole boss, his "helpful" advice about her clothing. She shook her head about the bullet-and to the small woman's credit, managed the pain pretty well, even if all the color had left her face and her hand was pressed to her lips so hard the knuckles were white.

She dropped it to squeeze her knee, a hissing inhalation as he began to strap the splint to her throbbing arm. "D-do you think it'll take a long time to heal?" Her lower lip trembled, eyes a bit watery with pain-but she was putting on a brave face for his benefit, trying not to seem too weak, too laughable.

[franklincastle]

She didn't take the bullet...and she didn't pass out or scream either as he set the bone as best he could (which in his line of work meant he was practically an expert at it).

"I guess it depends what you mean by a long time." he replied as he finished applying the splint to her arm. "But I'd say you're looking at about a month on average." Of course, there were a dozen different variables that could affect that...age and health being the main ones, and before tonight, it seemed his 'patient' was a healthy young woman so he didn't expect any complications on that score.

At that moment, Catherine walked in the door without bothering to knock, she was expected and there was no need for the distraction. She was dressed in a pair of nondescript coveralls and a mask, of course, though unlike Raptors hers revealed her mouth so Aimee could see her smile. "Hello." She said as she put a small bundle of clothes on the bed. "Call me 'Kay', and I brought you a change of clothes that I hope will work for you. Anything else I can do for you?" She wasn't going to ask how the girl was doing or how the other two had met, Ray had already briefed her and she had no desire to make the other girl relive an experience that was all to familiar for Catherine.

[Ambrosia_64]

Aimee nodded-and gave a start when the door opened all of a sudden, those blue eyes slightly widened, toned thighs tensed in preparation to burst to her feet.

But no, it was the associate Raptor had mentioned, a woman who smiled at her-and Aimee smiled back uncertainly before settling back into the chair, the friendliness putting her at ease. "No, I'm, I'm very grateful though. Thank you."

She gave her thanks sincerely, and if allowed-moved to stand. "I'll just go change."

[franklincastle]

'I probably should have warned her.' Raptor thought ruefully when he saw his patient start at the sudden entry of Catherine, but dealing with others emotions wasn't really his forte...he was just stumbling along as best he could.

Catherine simply nodded and kept smiling when the other women indicated there was nothing else she needed at the moment until she stood and stated she was going to change. "Do you need a hand?" She asked uncertainly, glancing down at the woman's hurt wrist and then up at her mask. Secret identities could be so complicated sometimes, especially after a traumatic experience when being alone might not be for the best.

[Ambrosia_64]

"I-I think I got it." Aimee said, the woman's kindness reminding her just what she had suffered, how much worse it could have been. "And then I better go...go home, I have to work in the morning."

It was already very early, and while Aimee would have thought she couldn't sleep ever again-she felt exhausted, willing to pass out as soon as she got home. She went into the bathroom, changed-(leaving her domino mask on, folding her costume neatly), she washed her face and hands and reflected on how nice a shower would be, once she was home.

Her cat and bed sounded wonderful.

"I want to thank you both again-I...will try not to be such a liability, in the future."
////////////////////////
(Fast Forward, if appropriate?)
Aimee arrived to work a few minutes early, her hair curled, her makeup carefully applied-and while she was dressed professionally and clearly taken time with her appearance-she looked tired, downright exhausted.

She wore a loose pink blazer over a black turtleneck shirt, her matching pink skirt attractive even if it was an appropriate, modest length. She came in early and got to work, mentally rehearsing her excuse about slipping after mopping her kitchen, flimsy and stereotypical-but the best lie the honest woman could come up with. She couldn't exactly hide the splint and injury to her wrist, after all-and hoped no one would ask too many questions, that she could just get these reports typed and filed and go about her day as usual.

She needed to perform well if she wanted to stay-stay with dignity, that was. So when people started filing out for lunch Aimee was still there, slaving away. Her "Out" bin was stacked rather higher than her "In" bin, and thank God-she wasn't sure she could keep this pace up all week, even -with- sleep.

[franklincastle]

'Well...at least she's awake this time.' Ray thought with an inward smirk as he noticed Aimee once again working through the lunch hour. He had to pass by her desk to get to his office and was trying to make up his mind exactly how he wanted to harass her today (he had to keep up appearances, after all) when he noticed her wrist and it took all of his training not to just stop and stare.

He recognized the splint, of course. he'd just put it on her less than twelve hours ago though at the time he had no idea his patient was the same person he'd been harassing yesterday and now that he knew WHY she'd fallen asleep at her desk he felt bad about knocking her to the floor. He'd dozed off at his desk a time or two after a night of little to no sleep but of course no one was going to call him out on it.

He changed his mind about adding to her considerable workload and instead smiled amicably at her. "Good afternoon." He told her. "What happened to your wrist?" He already knew the answer to that, of course, but he wanted to know what kind of cover story she'd developed. And he didn't want to raise her suspicions by not asking, it was the natural response upon seeing an injury.

[Ambrosia_64]

Aimee caught sight of him walking up and tried her damnedest to look very, very busy, hoping to avoid more of yesterday's harassment. Honestly, she wasn't sure she could handle his barbed tongue today, not after last night, not while running on two hours of sleep for the past two days.

Pretending the monitor held her rapt attention, Aimee's eyes flicked to him as he smiled amicably-notable wariness from the young blonde, too polite not to offer, in the very least, an uncertain return smile.

And then he greeted her like a normal, non slime human being, and even inquired about her arm.

Aimee wished she had gotten to practice with someone else first. "Oh, I slipped." She said as nonchalantly as she could, fearing the DA's analytical gaze. Her face reddened slightly with the bold faced lie, eyes averting to her screen. Lying was wrong, even to someone like Ray Pierce.

"Landed on it wrong-you know." A light, casual shrug-even though she kept her eyes averted, intent on the screen. She feared if she looked at him, he'd know at once she was lying. He WAS a DA after all. Aimee dared a quick glance to him, then back to the screen, then turned to flip through a rollodesk of names. She changed the subject. "I trust you're having a good day?" He must have been, to be amicable like this.

Ray would be able to note now more than ever just how young Aimee was without the domino mask to conceal it, those bright blue eyes. And, in street clothes, how small. That slender, graceful frame was not the build of a brawler. She was fresh faced and apparently funding her night time job with a daytime, paying one.

How did someone like this anxious secretary put on a mask and go fight bad guys? She looked like someone to be protected, not one to protect. Hm.

[franklincastle]

Her nervous smile didn't escape his notice of course, and the suspicious part of him got...well, suspicious. 'Does she know?' he thought. Was that why she was working here? To spy on him? Did she know who he was? Was all of this just a set-up, including last night's attack?

'NO.' he told himself firmly, recognizing his paranoia for what it was. No one would subject themselves to what she'd been through, and no one could fake the reactions she'd had last night. it was real, and her reaction was probably just due to his treatment of her yesterday afternoon, combined with trying to lead a double life.

'No eye contact.' he noted to himself as she told her lie, and that would have raised a flag even if he hadn't known the story behind her injury. And her red face was another give away, though a less astute observer could have chalked that up to embarrassment.

"You seem to do that a lot." he replied to her statement that she'd landed wrong, an unnecessary reminder of their introduction the other day...but he couldn't be TO nice to her and raise suspicions.

"I am." He answered to her query about whether he was having as good day. It was a lie, he'd lost in court yet again (a situation he'd have to rectify tonight) but it set the groundwork for his next statement. "Go home. You can telecommute the rest of the week while you recuperate from...landing wrong." That was something any boss would do for his employees, and while he did have a reputation as a jerk, he also had a reputation for defending the downtrodden, and Aimee seemed to qualify as that today. It had nothing to do with the fact she looked young and defenseless and vulnerable and she certainly wasn't raising any protective feelings in him.

He was taking care of one of his employees. Nothing more.