“No.”
“You should. Marvellous stuff. Well, anyhow, this helmet reminded me of the comic. Once I removed the thing, I discovered a pretty redhead and she was unconscious. Lee told me that the turbulence of a long fall from high altitude had knocked her senseless — said he barely had time to reach the girl before she struck terra firma. That was when he showed me something truly shocking — the gentleman pushed back her hair and there, on the spine, between the shoulder-blades, was a black letter ‘p’.”
“A Blando.”
“Yes.”
“But I still don’t understand — how?”
“The lady was a unique case. No special powers, obviously, but a spark, a drive to make her mark in this world. Lee had recognized that passion, inducting her into the Crime Crusaders Crew as Bullet Gal. She was a brunette then, and people believed she was from Melbourne, just like all the other Capes.”
Struggling to get his head around this revelation, Jack zeroed in on what he already knew. “The Big O busted up the Crime Crusaders to establish the Equalizers, at which stage Bullet Gal changed her costume, name, and obviously her hair colour — became the Aerialist. Why?”
The Professor nodded while he rapped his fingers on the wooden surface of the table. “This is indeed where things get murky. When he came to my house, as I say two months back, Lee told me the woman had switched identities to elude somebody, but that the secret got out and this person, this pursuer, had discovered the truth.”
“The attempt on her life — sabotaging the jetpack.”
“I believe so, yes.”
“Did the Big O give you a name?”
“No.”
Jack thought hard, attempting to put everything together, but there were too many loose ends. “Prof, do you think this somebody, this pursuer, was Major Patriot?”
“The man I remember was certainly capable. He was furious about the dissolution of the Crime Crusaders Crew three years ago, and very publicly stormed off — it was in all the papers, though the next day everyone forgot. The Reset did have its uses.”
The Professor chuckled.
“After that? I’m not sure. No one has since seen or heard from the Major. I doubt he stayed in Heropa, but Lee certainly feared somebody. It was trepidation I saw in his eyes, an unusual mental state in such a man.”
Leaning on the table, face in his hands yet still watching the prisoner, Jack sighed. “So. What did the three of you cook up? …About the Aerialist and her stalker problem, I mean.”
“Lee asked me to take her in, to hide her,” the Professor responded. “I complied, of course, since there were things I’d done that did not make me proud. This was an opportunity for penance, if not redemption. Lee knew about my work with Vita-Rays and together we hatched a cunning plan. Though she was immune to the Reset, prolonged exposure to Vita-Rays had the desired effect — the Aerialist forgot all about her old life of heroics and derring-do. She became a far simpler individual, placed out in public where no one would dream she’d hide. Became the bank clerk you met. A tub of bleach and a pair of glasses from the shop made the world of difference — and little did Major Patriot realize we’d use his precious Vita-Rays in such subversive fashion, to hide and protect someone he’d despise.”
“Louise.” Jack pulled away, horrified. Louise.
“Mitzi was the real name. We changed that, obviously, too.”
“And what about her?” The Equalizer glared over the table at the older man. “You said she was unconscious when she was brought to you — did she have any say in this improvised witness-protection scheme? Did you stop to ask her?”
Lowering his gaze, the Professor shook his head. “No. Lee knew she’d refuse.”
“So you decided for her.”
“Yes, but as I say—”
“Making you both no better than Major Patriot.”
“Well, yes…and no. Lee said this felon on Mitzi’s tail had contacts. She couldn’t exactly leave Heropa, her life was in danger, and we had to act fast. As fast as possible, before something happened, do you understand?” The old man was dithering now, his fingers entwined and eyes losing focus. “It was this or probable death, I think.”
“You think?”
Jack kicked back the chair and got to his feet.
“From what I see and hear, she was more than capable of looking after herself — even after you stole her memories, she broke a man’s jaw. I can’t believe you did this. I can’t believe I looked up to you. You had no right to put her through that, say what you will. We’re done here.”