We last read Chapter 40, in which Beth and Conner lounge by the hotel pool. Sparks fly and Conner invites Beth to dinner. Later, in the hotel lobby, she runs into Xavier Wheldon, who reminds her of the gala at his lodge at the end of his month.
After Beth returns to her room and slips into a bathrobe, Nick Hunt shows up at her door, shirtless and fresh out of the shower. His jealousy obvious, he warns her that Conner is trouble. Conner then makes an untimely appearance at Beth’s door, finding bathrobe-wearing Beth speaking to a shirtless Nick. After Conner bumbles away, Nick tries to force himself upon Beth. She rebukes him, and he leaves in a huff.
Beth and Conner cross paths at a later conference session, and Beth doesn’t explain Nick’s appearance at her room, after Conner acts as if the incident didn’t bother him. He does tell her he recognized both men he saw with Xavier Wheldon the night of his rescue by Sapphire Angel. One was Senator, Mark Bishop, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The other man was an aide for MacGregor Lockheed, Olivia Lockheed’s dad. Beth tries to imagine why Xavier Wheldon would have a late-night, secret meeting with a senator and the aide for a political animal. Conner finishes the conference session by taking a rain check on his dinner date with Beth.
This is the second story, so if you want to start from the very beginning, you can jump over to book 1, and begin with the Prologue of Sapphire Angel, Superheroine. Or to start at the beginning of book 2 (this story), click over to the Prologue of Power Play.
Thanks for reading!
After arriving home from Florida, Raven Tristan soaked up every story she could find about Sapphire Angel. The media loved her — a real-life superheroine. Countless magazine stories fawned over her, and the Internet was ablaze with her exploits. An entire cottage industry had sprung up around the blond bombshell, with several websites devoted to her.
Tristan had a hard time picturing Beth Harper as the superheroine, and again questioned the obvious — was Harper really Sapphire Angel? Harper was pretty, but didn't share the heroine's aura of might or power. Tristan swore at herself again for her doubt.
Sapphire Angel had first appeared 10 months earlier, when she had defeated a corporation conducting experiments on slaves. She had then disappeared, only to reappear again three months ago.
Since the superheroine's reappearance, she had rocketed to stardom. She had defeated gangs, drug lords, crime bosses, and other criminals in only a few months. Every appearance became a news story. As her fame grew, so did the allure and mystery surrounding her. The press pounced on the stories of her exploits, trying to get as many details about her as possible.
One online story tried to dissect her abilities, analyzing her strength, speed, agility, and fighting prowess. Another listed each of her appearances, reciting all the known information about each one. Yet another focused on her physical appearance, breaking down each aspect of her physique, and then turning to her costume, from her hair down to her boots. And yet more pondered her origins. That was where the stories broke down. The more they wrote about her, the more questions arose. Not much was known beyond what people had seen with their own eyes. Sapphire Angel appeared, took care of business, and then vanished.
Tristan had questions of her own. If Harper was indeed Sapphire Angel, and not just playing dress-up, how could she be so powerful? In all of her research about the girl, and in all of her firsthand observations, she saw nothing to suggest Harper had extraordinary strength, quickness, or agility. It seemed impossible.
Tristan also questioned the secrecy around Sapphire Angel's identity. How had Harper kept it a secret, when she did nothing to conceal her face? Tristan studied a few photographs of the costumed heroine, putting the best image next to an image of Harper. Tristan could see the resemblance, but was that because she had found the costume? There was something going on, because Tristan's mind often became clouded when looking at photos of Harper and Sapphire Angel side by side. Somehow, some way, the superheroine's identity was protected.
Tristan opened up a text file on her computer and started making a list. She typed "How does she get her powers?" and "How is her identity concealed?" as the first two items. She typed additional items as they came to her, such as who else knew her secret, what were the extent of her powers, how she had chosen her costume, and what were her weaknesses.
After typing several items, Tristan closed the document. It would be a growing list. And making the list would be the easy part. Finding out the answers to the questions on the list would be the hard part. For that, she would need to use other skills. Skills that would let her get the information directly from Sapphire Angel herself.
Tristan paused, knowing herself well enough to know this was the point of no return. She had her quarry in her sights, ready for the takedown. Her worries over Wheldon's plans gnawed at her, though. If she didn't stop herself now, her hunger to unravel the superheroine would consume her, pushing those worries aside. Her need for affirmation from Wheldon would seal it.
She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she shook her head. She couldn't stop. She needed to squeeze every last secret from Sapphire Angel. Tristan grabbed her coat and headed for the door.
Beth stretched her lithe frame as she stood in front of Ethan's door, working out the kinks from her flight home. Her heart beat with excitement at the thought of revealing her secret to him. She had been glad he had answered his phone when she called on her drive home from the airport.
After Ethan opened the door, she strode past him and headed for his sofa. She sank into the cushions, letting out a sigh. She hoped he wouldn't be too stunned about her upcoming revelation to shed light on the situation with Conner.
"Tiring trip?" he asked as he closed the door and moved to sit next to her.
"You could say that. Why are men so complicated?"
"Men, how about women?" Ethan replied with mock exasperation in his voice, before turning serious. "What happened?"
Where to begin? She hadn't talked to Ethan since their movie night. Much had changed since then.
"Well, I think I might like Conner," she said, cringing.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "And that's a bad thing?"
"Yes and no," she replied as she recalled the events of the last few days. "It actually started out great. Conner and I had some great moments and got to spend some time together. We... we kissed."
"That's great! You make it sound like a bad thing."
"I'm not so sure a kiss means anything to him, Ethan."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because the first time I kissed him, it wasn't me."
"Huh?" Ethan replied, scrunching up his nose.
Beth took a deep breath. It was now or never.
"Ethan, I'm going to tell you something. It will sound crazy."
Instead of looking surprised, Ethan said, "Ah, I think I get it. Does it have to do with John?"
"No. Yes. Well, sort of," Beth said, and guilt flowed through her. With all that had transpired over the last nine days, she hadn't thought much of her late boyfriend.
"Beth, it's okay," Ethan said in a soothing voice. "Give it time, and you'll be able to be yourself around Conner. Just take it slow."
Beth shook her head and groaned. "No, Ethan, that's not what I meant. I meant I really wasn't myself. Literally. Or kind of literally."
"Huh?"
Beth turned to him, took his hands, and stared into his eyes.
"Ethan, if I tell you this, promise you won't try to talk me out of what I do."
"What you do? What is that supposed to mean?"
"You have to promise," she insisted.
"Okay, okay. I promise."
Beth took a deep breath. "Ethan, I'm Sapphire Angel."
Ethan stared at her for a moment before a smirk crossed his face. Before he could speak, Beth held up a hand.
"I know, I know," she said. "This is the part where you laugh and tell me I'm not funny. But it's true. It's not a joke."
Ethan's smirk remained as he raised an eyebrow. With a shake of her head, Beth stood. She raised a hand to the base of her neck and closed her eyes. A flash surrounded her, causing Ethan to shield his eyes. When she opened her eyes again, her blue and white costume clung to her body and her radiance filled the room. Ethan stared at her from his spot on the sofa, his eyes wide. She stared down at him, hands on her hips, and a look of "I told you so" on her face.
"I don't understand," Ethan murmured as he sat frozen in place. Only his eyes moved, traveling up her long legs, over her slender torso, and stopping at her stunning blue eyes.
Beth kneeled in front of him, taking his hands in hers.
"Ethan, it's me. Beth. I'm Sapphire Angel."
He shook his head slowly. "How?" he asked in a whisper.
"It's a long story. Do you want me to explain?"
He gave a barely perceptible nod, so she sat next to him on the sofa, holding one of his hands. He remained silent as she explained about sneaking into the basement of John's employer ten months earlier, hiding, and getting caught in the middle of an experiment. The experiment killed John after a period of sickness and decay, but gave her fantastic powers. She had assumed the experiment had brought their thoughts to life, since John had dressed as a zombie and ended up rotting away, and she had dressed as a superheroine and became one. But now she wondered if there was more to it.
Ethan said nothing throughout her story, looking shellshocked. Beth told him of some of her exploits, and of Stanley's help. She described Sapphire Angel's car and the garage, and even told him of its location.
When she finished, he was chewing the inside of his cheek and giving his head a slow shake.
"And you're still doing it," he said, his voice quiet, his face blank, and his eyes far away. "Putting yourself in danger. I'd ask why, but I know why. That's who you are. The girl who cares so much about others. Always sticking up for people. Beth, this is crazy. You could get hurt or —."
"Ethan," she interrupted. "You promised not to talk me out of what I do."
"That was before I knew what it was!" he exclaimed, waving his arms. He was finally showing signs of life. "This is nuts."
"Maybe, but I need you in my corner, not trying to stop me."
Ethan slumped onto the sofa. He sat, staring straight ahead for several moments, before taking a deep breath. "When you get your mind set on something, nothing can stop you," he said. "Nothing I say will change your mind, I guess. So I'll support you. For now, at least."
He continued to stare straight ahead, dazed and not meeting Beth's eyes. She gave him a few more moments to process her revelation, before reaching out and taking his hand again.
"I'm so sorry for not telling you sooner," she said, squeezing his hand. "Stanley and I agreed it could put you in danger. If the wrong person gets a hint you have inside information, it could be bad for you. Ethan, you have to keep this secret. Not family, not your best friend, okay?"
Ethan turned to her, his brow wrinkled in confusion.
"Beth, you're my best friend. Why didn't I recognize it was you? Am I that clueless? I still barely recognize you as Beth. If you told me right now that this was a joke, and you're not Beth, I'd probably believe you."
Beth gave a slow nod. "I don't understand it completely myself. The necklace — which only works for me, by the way — somehow conceals my true identity. Maybe it affects the mind somehow. Stanley and I have done some tests, and it still doesn't make complete sense. If I would take the necklace off now, people still might not recognize me as Beth. Almost like it leaves an aura behind. Or maybe it's tied to the transformation, or to the costume."
"That's convenient. I guess it helps keep you safe."
"Sometimes it seems too convenient. That's one reason I wonder if there's more to all this than I've assumed."
"What do you mean?"
"I assumed it was a byproduct of the experiment John and I stumbled into, and nothing more. But the way my identity is secret, and how I got my powers the same night I finally unlocked the box with the necklace, makes me wonder if there's more to it. I wish I had time to hash it out, but I've barely had time to breathe since this started. Oh, and Stanley once said I've been destined for great things since the day I was born."
"You think he knows something?"
"I'm not sure. Why would he keep things from me?"
Ethan shrugged. "Does anybody else know besides him?"
"Just Stanley and Mrs. Devor. My family has no idea."
"Now I feel even dumber," he said, shaking his head. The initial shock seemed to be wearing off, though, as his eyes had lost their faraway look. "All the times you disappeared or were busy with things, and the timing of some of them. It all seems so obvious now."
"Ethan, you're not stupid. Like I said, this necklace has some pretty powerful... stuff. I don't want to call it magic, because I have no clue what it is. Nobody in your position would have seen through it."
"Oh, no, Beth," Ethan said, cringing and burying his face in his hands. "Some of the stuff I said about Sapphire Angel. I'm so sorry..."
Beth understood exactly what he meant. He had often raved about the physical attributes of Sapphire Angel, especially after she had rescued him from certain death 10 months earlier.
"No need to apologize, Ethan," she said. "You didn't know it was me."
"I feel like such a creep," he muttered.
"You'll make me wish I didn't tell you if you don't stop," she said in a teasing voice.
"Why did you tell me?"
"Because you're my best friend. I can tell you everything. Except this, until now. I need you, Ethan. Maybe that's selfish, but I can't do this alone."
"You have Stanley."
"It's not the same. Don't get me wrong. He's great. But talking to him isn't like talking to you."
Ethan nodded. "I'm so sorry you've had to carry this by yourself, Beth."
Beth exhaled in relief. "Thank you for understanding."
Realization came into Ethan's eyes.
"So when you said the first time you kissed Conner, it wasn't you, you meant..."
"I was Sapphire Angel."
"You kissed him as Sapphire Angel?" he asked, his eyes open wide.
Beth bit her lip sheepishly. "Well, technically he kissed me the first time. It was after you and I had our movie night. I went to give him some things Sapphire Angel had found about the story, and he surprised me with a kiss." Her voice trailed off as she recalled Conner's lips on hers.
"Just like that?" Ethan asked. "Did you knock him upside the head after he did it?"
Beth grimaced. "Actually..." she began, her voice getting quiet again. "Actually, I was... I was really surprised at how I acted. It was like a jolt of electricity. I was kind of like putty, I guess. I kissed him back. As Sapphire Angel."
Ethan let out a soft whistle. "Wow."
"I know, I know," Beth said, as she buried her face in her hands.
"Hey it's okay," Ethan said gently. "Just because he has the hots for Sapphire Angel doesn't mean he doesn't also have the hots for Beth. It was just one kiss. Wait a second — you said 'the first time.' There were more?"
"Yes," Beth murmured, "Three total. Two as Sapphire Angel, one as Beth." Ethan's jaw dropped, so she explained. "At the conference, I saved him — as Sapphire Angel — from some trouble. We kissed again after we were safe, and I was the wishy-washy schoolgirl again, all wobbly legged. Oh, gosh." Beth shook her head in disgust at herself, remembering the moment. "And then by the pool — not as Sapphire Angel — he kissed me. Or I kissed him. I'm not really sure, actually. It was a blur."
Ethan nodded. "And now you like him."
"I don't know," the costumed beauty sighed, flopping back against the backrest of the sofa. She just wanted the plush cushions to swallow her up and make her disappear. "It was both great and awful with Conner. Great because there was so much electricity between us. Awful because there I was, the famous and virtuous Sapphire Angel in full costume, a quivering mess under his touch." Her voice had gone into a mocking imitation of a television reporter as she spoke.
"And as Beth?"
"Our kiss was equally electric. But now I'm not sure what to make of it. He's been pretty distant since it happened. He did say he likes my type, but it might just be bluster. The kiss might have meant nothing to him, or something else could be bothering him."
"You seem to have another possibility on your mind."
"Do you remember that Nick guy I've mentioned? He came down to my room later, without a shirt on," she explained. "Conner walked in and may have gotten the wrong idea."
"Beth! Please tell me you're not that naïve. Damn. Actually, I know you are. That's one of the reasons I love you. So I'll tell you the obvious. Yes, without a doubt, that's the reason Conner's been distant. I wasn't even there, and it's obvious."
"You don't know Conner like I do."
"How about I talk to him and find out?"
"Don't you dare!" Beth exclaimed. "The last thing I need is for him to think I've put somebody up to talking to him for me."
"I can just feel him out, without being obvious. Men aren't as in tune to that stuff as women are. Well, most women. Present company excluded."
"No! Please don't. I'll do it my way."
"What is your way?"
"I'll figure something out."
"Not good enough," Ethan said, shaking his head.
"Ethan! You can't talk to him."
"Fine, but you're going to call him right now and make dinner plans."
"I can call tomorrow," Beth replied. "I should have some time then."
"No, tonight."
"I can't. There's a tower on Wheldon's property that could be important. I — Sapphire Angel — needs to scope it out tonight."
"What time are you doing that?"
"Late. After midnight."
"So there's plenty of time for dinner. Call him."
Beth stared at Ethan, but didn't respond.
"It's either that, or I see what I can find out."
Beth paused before throwing up her hands. "Alright, alright. You're impossible."
Beth stood, held her hand to the base of her neck, and concentrated for a few moments. After a brief flash of light, she was back in her normal attire. Ethan stared, shaking his head in amazement. Beth gave a bashful shrug before fishing her phone out of her bag. She dialed Conner's number, leveling a playful glare at Ethan while the phone rang. Conner answered on the third ring.
"Hey Conner, it's Beth."
"Oh, hey. What's up?"
"Conner, we're running out of time on your investigation and on my story. How about... we get together for dinner tonight to go through things?"
There was a pause on the line, and Beth started to wish she hadn't called. A few seconds passed, and Conner answered, "Sure, that would be great. Cafe Sicilia? 7 o'clock?"
"Uh, sure," Beth answered.
"Sounds great. I'll pick you up at quarter till."
Beth gave him her address and said goodbye. She hung up the phone and let out a long sigh of relief.
"See, not so hard," Ethan said. "Now go get ready for dinner. I expect to hear how it goes."
Beth smiled. "Okay. And thanks. You always seem to know what's best for me."
"I guess," Ethan said, but frowned. "And let me know how this whole tower thing goes, too. I said I wouldn't try to talk you out of being Sapphire Angel, but I didn't promise I wouldn't worry. Call me no matter how late. I'll be able to fall back asleep if you wake me up."
"This one time, okay," Beth said. "But don't worry. There isn't anybody out there who is a match for Sapphire Angel."
This is the second story, so if you want to start from the very beginning, you can jump over to book 1, and begin with the Prologue of Sapphire Angel, Superheroine. Or to start at the beginning of book 2 (this story), click over to the Prologue of Power Play.
Thanks for reading!
I appreciate any comments or email.
Ugh.....that was SUCH a good Iine to end the chapter on.....Iike, for reaI.
So StanIey knows, Ethan knows, and Raven......kind of knows (come on girI, it is IiteraIIy THAT simpIe).
Dinner time! Wonder how Raven pIans to get to the bottom of who Sapphire AngeI is....