Old Friends Part 4

Melody rolled the unconscious heroine onto her side and unzipped the white jacket, pulling it from White Owl's shoulders. Then she quickly wrapped titanium cables around White Owl's wrists and legs. She slipped an anesthetic mask over White Owl's face and adjusted the control. Too much would run the supply out too soon, not enough and White Owl would likely overcome the fumes and break free.

"It's not like I haven't outsmarted you before," muttered Melody as she unbuckled White Owl's tool belt and shoved it into a black Ultrasuede bag. She poked the drowsing superheroine, and satisfied went into her room, where she discarded the entire persona of Sonata and stepped into the form fitting black outfit she wore as Dark Owl.

White Owl was stirring slightly as the Dark Owl returned to the sitting room. She adjusted the flow of the anesthetic, and White Owl drooped once more into slumber. Dark Owl lifted her prisoner over her shoulder and carried her to a silvery looking sarcophagus that stood in the corner. "You thought you'd never see me again, didn't you White Owl? Well in a few moments that's going to be true." Dark Owl laid her burden into the sarcophagus and strapped White Owl into the case. Then she shut the silvery lid, hiding her captive carefully.

KNOCK KNOCK "Bellman!" Dark Owl grimaced. She had very little time.

"Just a moment." she said. With a strength that belied her size, she lifted the sarcophagus and brought it down in the bathroom, then closed the door tightly. She threw White Owl's jacket over her shoulders, shinnied into her tight jeans and pulled her mask off and wig back on.

"Come in..." she called, now back in her Sonata disguise, more or less.

"Sorry ma'am, but I knew you might need some extra help with your baggage."

"No, no, it's quite all right." The bellman loaded the suitcase and the garment bags onto his cart. and held the door open. Melody hesitated.

"Could you take all that downstairs for me? I have a friend I'm waiting on before I go down." She peeled off a ten dollar bill and smiled. The bellman nodded and headed down the hall, but Melody's keen ears could hear Helder stepping off the elevator at the same time.

Helder was practically shouting as he came into Melody's suite. "My God! Did you HAVE to call the bellman? That was close! Did he see anything? Where is it? Where is she?"

"Calm down, Helder, darling. She's fine, though at the moment in less than mint condition."

"You didn't hurt her did you? My God, she's one of a kind! I can't replace her!"

Melody pouted. "I thought I was the Owl you desired."

"What? Oh yes of course! But we're running a big risk here. Where do you have her?"

Melody's eyes twinkled. "She's in the sarcophagus, just like you said. And that's in the bathroom."

"THE BATHROOM!" Helder's temper finally snapped. "In a Space Sarcophagus prop from GALAXY QUEST? That's a priceless relic! It can't be replaced any easier than its cargo. And it CAN'T get wet."

Melody had heard enough. She came from the wheelchair to her feet and slammed Helder into the wall. The great man dangled with his feet several inches about the soft carpet. His eyes bugged out and he clawed at Dark Owl's arm, trying to break her grip on his throat.

"Not so fast, Quentin darling. You've been telling me all month how special I am to you. Imagine my surprise when I find out I'm less special than a mere prop or some other bitch. You're treading on very thin ice, and I think my value to this operation just increased. After all, how ELSE are you going to get this case down?

Helder squirmed in Dark Owl's grasp and nodded agreement. "All right--double." She relaxed her grip and the collector dropped to the floor. He got to his feet, rubbing his throat.

"Now where is this truck of yours?" asked Dark Owl, still glaring at him.

"Its directly below your patio, I think," he groaned. "I have a route worked out that will keep us from most of the prying eyes and..." While Helder was speaking Dark Owl went to the bathroom and brought out the sarcophagus. She slid open the patio door.

“Large tractor trailer? Red cab Peterbilt?” she asked, hefting the Space Sarcophagus onto her shoulder.

“Yes, that's it,” said Helder. “We'll bring her down the service elevator and HEY!!”

Dark Owl leaped over the rail holding the sarcophagus and dropped the twelve floors to street level. She shoved the case into the back of the truck and waved back up at Helder.

In her room, Helder caught his breath and mopped his head. He threw the towel onto the sofa and retreated to the elevator. Fifteen minutes later, he'd joined Dark Owl in the cab of his truck.
“Don't ever do that again,” he scolded.

Melody smiled coyly at Helder and fluttered her eyes beneath her black mask. “Why whatever do you mean?” she said.

“You know very well what I mean. If you'd damaged my latest acquisition...” his voice trailed off then came back strong, “And do you have to wear that damned mask?”

“I feel more like Dark Owl if I'm in costume,” she replied. “Besides, I thought you like how I look.”

Helder shifted gears, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He realized he wasn't going to win this one.

“Of course I do,” he said. “I'm just worried about the Queen City Police. They know what you look like and in costume you're likely to draw more attention than out.”

Melody considered this, then responded, “Maybe. But it's still late on Sunday night, and I don't think they're looking suspiciously at semis rolling out of town.” The truck crossed the Queensgate Bridge and into St Matthews.

“Aren't you going to the storage garage?” asked Dark Owl.

“No, I'm going straight to the mansion. I want to have White Owl on display by morning; even if it's only for our eyes.”

“I just love the way you say that, darling” purred Dark Owl.

Helder drove the truck into a deep bay, then killed the engine. “Be a dear Melody and carefully bring White Owl and the case to my private collection area? I'll go on ahead and unlock everything. He slipped from the cab and into the house.

Dark Owl climbed down from the cab, and opened the back. The Space Sarcophagus was still upright, where she'd secured it to the trailer. She undid the ties, then rocked the sarcophagus, smiling at the thudding sounds she heard from inside. She hefted it onto her shoulder again, and carried her burden into the house. Melody rode a secret elevator to the special collection area, where Helder kept his most valuable treasures on display for no one but himself.

“Over here dear,” he said, motioning Melody to a large display case. Inside the case a chair was bolted to the floor. Behind it was an open shadow box, with pegs and spaces for various parts of White Owl's costume.

Melody set the case on the floor and with a delicate touch sprung the box open. White Owl stayed sleeping, though the meters on the mask indicated she was running out of sedative. “Better make it quick, Helder,” she muttered, as she rapidly untied her hated foe.

Helder nodded, and began by pulling White Owl's boots from her feet. “Hmm,” he said. “Pantyhose, but of a material different than nylon. Smoother, but stronger.”

Above him, Dark Owl was being less delicate with White Owl's gloves. “Gently gently!!” cried Helder. “This whole outfit is a museum piece now!” Dark Owl harrumphed but was more cautious.

Moments later, White Owl was left in nothing but her panties and bra, though her mask stayed stubbornly affixed. The slumbering superheroine stirred and Melody sprang to action, She grabbed White Owl and placed the rousing heroine into the chair in the display case. Heavy clamps clutched White Owl's wrists and ankles, binding the helpless woman to the chair. Melody jumped out and smiled.

“She looks pretty good, doesn't she Helder?”

“She'd look even better as a matched set,” he replied.

Melody whirled. “What do you mean by that?”

Her answer was four heavy tranquilizer darts in her lower limbs. Melody staggered forward, but not possessing White Owl's healing factor, she quickly dropped to her knees and pitched onto her face.

“Yes,” said Helder. A pair of Owls for my collection.
To be continued.