Chapter 9: Justice

The week of the 23^rd was the introduction of garter belts, stockings and corsets. Since most of the lingerie was see through or as good as, Cat wore one of my undershirts belted all week as a minidress.

On the 24^th, Justice came out with their issue. “SPECIAL ADDITION” “Who is the man holding the leash of the sixteen-year-old girl that has the world at the edge of their seats?” With a picture of me from ten years ago with a ‘?’ over a grayed out oval superimposed behind Cat in her red sequined dress. “Top ten minds of the decade” “Up and coming Heroes”

In a well-appointed office an auburn-haired woman took one look at the magazine cover in front of her and replied with a single comment. “I know who he is: He’s an Asshole.”

At least she didn’t throw anything this time. Darrin thought. “Any instructions, Lady?”

“Leak Andrew’s name.”

“Andrew? I don’t understand, Lady.”

“Andrew was Master Smith’s unknown student. See his name gets out.”

“Understood, Lady.” Who the fuck is Andrew? The longtime assistant for Lady Strife wondered as he returned to his office to fulfill this latest odd task and then search on what he could find about the man himself.

Once the door was closed. The thirtyish, would be world conquer, burst out laughing. “They put Him Third!...” HAHAHAHHAHHAH ... Moria O’Shannan laughed off and on for hours and enjoyed a productive day in an unusually good mood.

“Is this what you expected?” I pushed a copy of today’s Justice across the breakfast table to my student who was eating her shredded wheat with sliced bananas.

“Special Edition? We made the cover?” Shock was evident in her naïve face.

I wasn’t surprised. They had called me a few times asking for an interview or quotes. I gave my standard response: As long as they marked Fact or Speculation and followed that up, I would let them write what they wanted. Justice was very reputable. “Looks that way.”

“Are you the first non-Hero to make the cover?”

“I haven’t paid attention. Go ahead and read. We won’t be getting much done today.”

“The top three minds worldwide are Strife, Gallant then you.” I nodded. “I made 5^th of the upcoming Heroes? How?” I nodded. “Lewis speculates that I am your third student but he was not able to discern the other two’s identity.” I nodded again to her ramblings. “There is a short list of your known achievements. Including the ‘Bomb Warding Shield’ protecting museums around the world,” I nodded. She didn’t even look up at my nods. “and a longer list of your suspected Devices.

“Did you really make Blatto’s Living Slime gun?” Cat asked after a few minutes of reading.

“Yes. I found it a challenge and quite amusing. He provided the sample.”

“You are both sick.” She continued reading.

“The list of both known and speculated Devices you have built goes back over fifty years. Deborah Richards from Justice thinks you are using a Device to make you look young.”

I nodded. “She had made that observation before.”

“There are interviews of Scholars and Professors that had studied with you in the past. It said every July for four weeks you would accept a Federation Student or Professor’s application to study under you for a month. Each accredited advancing their thesis or research to you.”

“You aren’t doing that this year, are you?” Cat felt that it was her fault.

“That is why we are going to Vegas. Professor McCraken has a good idea that I want to help her with.”

“When asked about you specifically, the consensus was you acted as a Professor Emeritus; calm, knowledgeable and challenging, regardless of the subject discussed.”

“You must have lied the whole time,” she snarked at me. “Oh, it ends with a few sound bites. Eagle calls you a ‘Merchant of Death’, hers was the worst of the quotes.”

She took a deep breath and turned the page. Her Gowns were all on two high glossy centerfold pages. “Sheesh. I wish I was this pretty. Can you say over photoshopped?”