Disclaimer: This story features copywrighted Marvel comics characters, I don't own any of them.




PAGE ONE

Panel 1. Huge opening splash page of Captain America as he vaults over a hotdog cart on a boardwalk, his shield is slamming into a German soldier’s head, the German’s gun is going off harmlessly into the air. In the background we see a farris wheel.

CAPTION
1939, Point Pleasant, New Jersey

CAPTAIN AMERICA
RATZI SCUM! YOU’LL NEVER TAKE THE JERSEY SHORE WHILE I’M ALIVE!

BILLY (bottom of page, off-panel)
You’re making that up grandpa.





PAGE TWO

Panel 1. An old man (70-80 years old at least) is sitting on a bench on the boardwalk of the Jersey shore with his grandson. The boy is wearing shorts and a t-shirt with Captain America’s star logo on it.

GRANDPA
Now listen here Billy, people of my generation had character and integrity, we didn’t have to lie to make good stories.

BILLY
My teacher says your generation lied about lots of stuff, civil rights, domestic abuse--

GRANDPA
You’re teacher is a hag, anyway--

Panel 2. On grandpa as he continues his story, he is raising his hands excitedly and leaning backwards to imitate the German on the first page.

GRANDPA
Where was I, oh yes, the German saboteur is sent flying backwards by Cap’s shield y’see--

BILLY (quietly)
Ugh

Panel 3. Reverse shot of first page, we are behind cap and up ahead the German is being hit by the shield. Other German’s in the background are racing towards us. A panicked civilian points towards the approaching Germans, he is cupping his hand around his mouth to project his voice.

GERMAN
Gott in Himmel!

CIVILIAN
Run for your lives! Those scheming Nazi’s are here to take our freedom and our hot dogs!

Panel 4. Captain America catches his shield as it rebounds towards him, with his other hand he’s punching a German in the kidneys, causing the German to vomit towards the other side of the panel (shield on one side, vomit on other).

CAPTION (shaped like an arrow, pointing at the Nazi’s side)
Kidney punch!

CAPTAIN AMERICA
You shouldn’t invade this country…UNLESS YOU HAVE THE STOMACH FOR IT!

BILLY (off panel again)
That. Didn’t. Happen.

Panel 5. Grandpa is leaning in close to Billy, looking down on him with an agitated face. Billy is looking back up at him defiantly, eyebrows pointed close together, eyes squinting, etc. It looks like a serious confrontation is about to throw down, in the background however, we see other people throwing Frisbees or chasing each other, etc. to contradict what’s going on in the foreground.

GRANDPA
I don’t want to stress your video-game addled mind too much, so I’ll skip to the moral of the story.



PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Next to the now overturned hot-dog cart lies the cart’s owner, lying on his stomach on the wooden boardwalk with his hands over his head, peeking between his fingers in our direction. He’s wearing one of those pointy vendor hats, an apron, striped shirt the whole nine yards.

GRANDPA (CAPTION)
I was only a few years older than you, working as a hot-dog vendor on this very boardwalk.

CAPTAIN AMERICA (off-panel)
…IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE STOMACH FOR IT!

Panel 2. Captain America is pinned down by machine gun fire behind his shield. He’s looking to his right and sees a young woman lying helpless on the ground, raising her arm to shield herself.

CAPTAIN AMERICA (thoughts)
Good gravy! That damsel is really in distress, but I can’t be in two places…

Panel 3. Reverse angle shot on Captain America, he’s looking at the hot-dog cart expecting the vendor to be there, his face is neutral as he started talking before he turned his head around. The vendor’s leg should be visible on the opposite side of the panel from where Cap’s looking as the man runs for his life.

CAPTAIN AMERICA
Citizen, I need your help! That young lady is…

Panel 4. Quickly looking over his other shoulder he yells at the retreating hot-dog vendor.

CAPTAIN AMERICA
Hey you little bastard! Get your ass over here and save the girl while I do the real men’s work!

Panel 5. Back to the present, the kid is pointing and laughing at his grandfather, one hand holding his stomach as he laughs, while grandpa sits there looking aggravated.

BILLY
HA-HAHA, you were such a punk! What a loser!

Panel 6. Back in the past, Grandpa is helping the woman up in the foreground as Cap battles the Nazi’s in the background.

GRANDPA
Hurry, we gotta split! Those ratzi’s are on the rampage!

WOMAN
How will we get out of here? They’re everywhere!











PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. The vendor and the woman are running down an alley between two of the boardwalk buildings/shacks, the kind that house amusements and games. They are holding hands, as he leads her along.

Panel 2. From behind them, we see two more Nazi’s ahead of them, charging up the alley from the opposite direction. Next to where the vendor and woman are stopped, is a couple garbage cans, with the old style metal lids that have a handle on them.

WOMAN
Oh no! They’re everywhere, we’ll never be safe!

Panel 3. The vendor points up at the sky behind the Nazi’s and at the top of his voice yells

VENDOR
LOOK, THE INVADERS! WE’RE SAVED!

Panel 4. The Nazi’s look behind them up into the sky and see nothing, the vendor grabs the lid off one of the garbage cans.

NAZI #1
I zee nothink, vat do you see Hans?

NAZI #2
Nothink! Could ve haff been tricked?

Panel 5. Back in the present on the bench, the kid is interrupting the story again.

BILLY
Who are the Invaders?

GRANDPA
A half-naked guy that could fly, Cap’s teen sidekick and a man who set himself on fire, anyway--

Panel 6. The Nazis’ turn back around just in time to catch the garbage can lid in their faces.

SFX
Wonk!

Panel 7. The Nazi’s stand there almost unfazed, the lid didn’t really hurt them at all. They appear more confused/pissed off than hurt really.

NAZI #1
Vat vas dat? Did he just hit us?

NAZI #2
I vas going to let him go, but now I think he diez, ya?

NAZI #1
Ya!





PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. Cap’s shield slams into the backs of the Nazi’s heads, this time they are knocked out instantly.

CAPTAIN AMERICA
Have at thee, vile Nazi scum!

Panel 2. The woman grabs hold of the vendor and wraps her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. Cap is giving him the “thumbs-up” sign in the background.

CAPTAIN AMERICA
My thanks noble hot-dog vendor.

WOMAN
I was so scared, thank you for trying to save me. I mean, you tried and that’s what counts. Even if you did kind of fail…

Panel 3. Back in the present, Grandpa is explaining the moral of the story.

BILLY
So…what? You ran like a punk, met a celebrity and didn’t die? That’s it?

GRANDPA
No you rotten little…the point is, I risked my life to help someone and my efforts were rewarded.

GRANDPA 2
I never would have met your grandmother if Cap hadn’t gotten me involved.

Panel 4. In the passenger compartment of a c-27 transport plane back in WWII, Grandpa stands amongst the rest of his platoon, dressed as an airborne ranger, web gear, Tommy gun, etc. He is standing in a line with the rest of the men.

GRANDPA (off-panel)
As soon as we went to war, I enlisted in the army. I was going to fight to save the world from the forces of evil in order to earn the good fortune I had.

BILLY (off panel)
Did you meet Captain America again during the war?

Panel 5. A piece of shrapnel flies through the wall next to him and hits him in the head, knocking him over. The other paratroopers react in horror.

GRANDPA
Nope, never made it out of the damn plane. Took a piece of shrapnel before I even jumped and sat out the rest of the war in a hospital and rehab center.

GRANDPA 2
That’s where I got this metal plate in my head from. I don’t really remember the rest of it accurately…

Panel 6. Present, the boys parents and the grandmother join the two sitting on the bench, they are carrying enough hotdogs for them all to enjoy. The mom is kissing Grandpa on the cheek and the dad is handing Billy a hotdog.

MOM
Thanks for watching Billy for us Dad, did you tell him your Captain America story? Or the time you fought that dragon with pants?

GRANDPA
Fin Fang Foom you mean?

BILLY
Oh shut up! You did not!

CAPTION
The End

Title: Ode to a Puerto Rican Goddess
By Bryan Coe, originally published on the Michelle Rodriguez Underground Forum.(new version)
Rating: M-N (for mildly nauseating)



When first I saw you, you were only a blur
A new hottie in Hollywood? of this I was sure
Racing down the highway so fast, dare I say furious
Kick-ass attitude and a cute smile? I was definitely curious

Next to raccoon city, fighting enemies not all of them homo-sapien
Surviving to the end, only to be shot in the head by a tall Ukrainian
Zombified? I was mortified, hoping you would not be typecast
Here’s hoping your days as cannon fodder are all in your past

Nothing good on TV, the remote about to be tossed
When I happened upon a program, ambiguously titled "Lost"
Your part in it seemingly minor (along with your stature)
I'll admit, I fell in love. my heart was forever captured

Then a day came that I will always dread..
Shot again (dammit!), at least not in the head
I cried out for vengeance! Screaming murder, and pulling out my hair,
Maybe I’ll luck out, and Michael will get eaten by that polar bear

Then off to Wal-Mart one day, and what do I see?
Your first movie Girlfight, packaged neatly on DVD
Two hours later and I knew for certain,
That I was in love, with obsession I was flirtin

Arriving at my home from the deep, dark jungles of the Amazon (.com)
Came 3 a.m., Blue Crush, and Control, blowing my mind like a hot Latina bomb
From driving a cab to surfing a wave, to mackin on Ray Liotta...
My faith in your skills had not diminished one iota

Thinking you couldn’t be made cooler by any story or plot
I entered a theater and beheld the movie S.W.A.T.
The first and only good remake of a seventies TV show
Ogling you in that work-out scene, I could only say “Whoa”

But you were more than just eye candy, sweating to Hendrix
The scenes with your daughter are on par with your high kicks
The way you cared and talked about her filled me with glee
And we still get to have gunfights with Ak’s and Uzi’s

Onto fake accents and swordfights in Bloodrayne...
And I say this with all due respect...but oh god the pain.
It wasn't your fault though my beautiful titta, Katarin was cool
But, video games cannot be good movies, it's sort of a rule

More recently we have The Breed, in a class of it’s own
Before it even came out, the critics started to moan
But I pre-ordered it, and watched it with gusto
A little short on length, but overall a good show.

So as you prepare to do battle in Seattle and tell your cat's tale
I know in my heart that you will not fail
For yours is a beautiful soul, caring for others regardless of race, creed, or emblem
Or whether they are your fans or your critics, or for however many legs carry them

Remember that we’re with you, in times of anger or distress…
That when the media is spinning half-truths and full-lies that you are a mess…
We love you anyway and couldn’t care less.


Keep up the good work Michelle

Tigress
By Bryan Coe
Chapter Two
Rated: pg-13/R, for some language. Action/Adventure/Comedy.
Disclaimer: this entire work is my own, however the character Mayte Rodriguez is based upon the actress Mayte Michelle Rodriguez.


Special agent Simon Reynolds had worked for the United States government since he was eighteen years old, first as a rifleman in the army, then special forces, and eventually as an operative for the National Security Agency. Rising through the ranks, he became the director of his own project, an early attempt to create super-human assassins by combining human test subjects with the DNA of numerous animal species. He was not a scientist, rather he was good at organizing the people who were. Keeping them focused on creating viable products and not wasting Uncle Sam’s time and money on their wildest nerd fantasies. He would take the order from his superiors about what they wanted, listen to the scientists tell him what can and can’t be done, and then direct their resources appropriately.

The project was a failure in every sense of the word. Almost half of the test subjects didn’t survive the implantation process and except for maybe a dozen successes, the other half either became vegetables, or their “powers” simply didn’t work. Some of the survivors had mental breakdowns while others became successful operatives only to die while on assignment. Worst of all, several of them escaped the training facility and were never seen again. That last bit was what cost him his position, forcing him to start over at nearly thirty years old and rebuild his reputation within the organization.

It had taken another thirty years to reach his current position where he could think about retiring. He had found other assignments, ones that needed him to either train or run security teams. Three years ago, he found a project that no one seemed to think would work. No one except it’s designer, a scientist from the R&D division who everyone thought was a quack. She had come up with what she thought was a “foolproof” way of eliminating targets without anyone being able to identify the killer, a perfect assassin. He latched himself onto her C.U.B.S. project, and used every connection he had made to see it completed. Two years of field testing and eventual active status had proven that it did in fact work, and once again he was all set. This time, his operatives could not disobey him, nor could they even think of running away.

He didn’t actually care about the project though. Or the scientist for that matter, even though he was now sleeping with her. Truthfully, he didn’t care much for the good old’ U.S. of A. either. Soon, very soon, he would be able to retire. And then he was off to some tropical island where no one could bother him. No more freezing winters, no black ops. Insertions into third world countries, no more paperwork. Just miles and miles of sand, warm weather, drinks with little umbrellas in them, and half-naked women…..oh, good lord there would be women. He had no family to support, so once those retirement checks started arriving he was going to pick out the cutest/youngest little hottie on the beach (or two, or three) and help them earn their college tuition the old fashioned way.

In the meantime his superior had requested a meeting, and while he hated meetings with the higher-ups (or meetings in general really), he didn’t want to jeopardize his last year before retirement by pissing someone off. So here he was, having to spend an afternoon away from his project in order to make someone higher-up on the chain of command feel appreciated (lips, get ready to kiss some ass). The N.S.A.’s branch office in this region was underground, at the basement level of a typical looking office building, in a typical looking business district designed to fool anyone who was below-moron level into thinking that this place wasn’t up to something shady (because the American public was always so trustworthy of corporations and big business in the first place).

There was a lot of unusual activity that day, men and women from all departments were moving through the halls. As he left the elevator, he saw one man whom he had worked with before (but didn’t consider important enough to remember his name), packing up his personal items as if he was leaving for good. Another man two doors down was doing the same thing. Around the first corner he saw Linda, the woman who had slapped him with that sexual harassment lawsuit for staring at her chest (you would have to be blind to miss it frankly), crying as she walked past him carrying a box.

Reynolds was getting nervous, three people getting fired all at once was more than unusual. Maybe they were downsizing again? The current administration was always got a little queasy when it came to black ops. and cracking down on super-humans. That’s what this organization was made for, their unofficial mandate said it all, “Dropping nape’ (napalm) and stopping capes (heroes) in order to preserve democracy“.

Or maybe it was freedom…or freedom and democracy. Wait, maybe U.S. interests abroad, freedom, and democracy.

Reynolds stopped to ponder that for a moment. It used to be so clear what his mission was when he was a young up-and-comer in the organization, now he was getting a little foggy on the details. He was sure it had something to do with freedom, but from who? He started walking again, all the while racking his brain. Crap, I should know this, he thinks.
Stopping terrorists maybe? Stopping terror period? Putting an end to terrorism in North America? Terrorizing North America?

He stopped again, pulled out his wallet and drew one of his personal cards. On it read “Simon Reynolds, special agent. National Security Agency“. Underneath the company name was it’s motto “We don’t need foreigners to terrorize our people and endanger our democracy, we can do that ourselves”.

At the end of the hall is a receptionist, she immediately straightens up when she sees Reynolds approach. As he nears her desk, she tells him to wait a moment so she can let her employer know that he’s here. As she does that, Reynolds admires the paintings on the walls, at least he does until one of the maintenance personnel starts taking them down. At the other end of the hall, he sees another two men lifting the bench outside of someone’s office and then carrying it away. He waits, pacing the hall until a voice comes through on the intercom telling her to show him in.

Inside, Reynolds sees his boss Geoffrey T. Smart sitting behind his desk. He is only a few years older, but his hair (what there is of it) is almost white. His own hair still retained it’s color, and while he wasn’t a young man anymore Reynolds was in much better shape than his superior. The difference in the appearances was something that had always created a sort of rivalry between them, Smart was in charge, but Reynolds it seemed, commanded more respect. To Reynolds’ amazement, Smart stood up when he entered and smiled.

“Simon, come on in and have a seat” Odd, Reynolds thinks, I always got the feeling this guy hated me. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“No thank you sir”

“Then please, sit down” He gestured at the chair across from his, and returned to his seat.

A promotion, that had to be it. It had just occurred to Simon that the last time he had seen his superior smile at him had been the day he was promoted to the head of his current department. They must be merging some departments together and bumping anybody they don’t need either up a pay grade and maybe off to early retirement, or simply bumping them out the door like those schmucks in the hall. It had happened before. His superior was still smiling when he continued speaking.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news, Simon” Yeah, for those assholes outside you mean right? Bad news for them and GREAT NEWS for me. In Reynolds’ head floated images of palm trees, bikini clad Caribbean women and ocean waves.

“Our branch of the N.S.A. is being merged with the anti-super-human departments of the C.I.A. and the D.O.D. to create a single agency devoted to curbing the super-human threats to this country…” Now the bikini clad women were taking their clothes off…

“…sadly, budget restrictions have forced us to limit the number of personnel we take with us into this new organization…” the palm trees were swaying back and forth on a light breeze, music was playing in the background, and the waves were gently breaking against the shoreline…

“…certain sacrifices have to be made in order to keep our most successful projects running smoothly…” the topless cutie was now massaging his back, while a cool drink rested within arms reach.

“…as to what this has to do with you here today, well…” the poor saps who were being fired were there too now, one was reduced to working the bar while another was fetching hot towels for all the people on the beach. Linda, poor Linda, was being eaten by a shark just off shore…

“…there’s no easy way to say this Simon, you wont be able to retire next year like you planned.” they all began pointing and laughing at him. The bartender, the towel boy, even the shark that was eating Linda was pointing one his fins at him and rocking back and forth. Linda, sticking up out of the shark’s mouth was doing the same.

“I know you are one year away from retirement, but with the reorganization you will have to be demoted since there are no openings at your pay grade in the new agency. And as you know, your reduced pay grade doesn’t qualify for retirement for another five years.” the palm trees were on fire now, the music was gone, and the cutie rubbing his back had turned into a 300lb redneck with prison tattoos on his forearms.

Simon tried to find the words, but all that escaped his lips was a dry scratchy sound. Collecting himself, he tried again.

“This…this has to be a mistake. I have served this agency for almost my entire adult life, you can’t….you can’t do this to me. Not now, not after I got that damn C.U.B.S. project to work.”

“Simon, please, the C.U.B.S. haven’t lived up to expectations. They’re way too expensive and they don’t stand a chance against any substantial super-human threats. Plus, we already have super-soldiers and A.I. piloted androids for that kind of thing anyway. They‘re only good against normal humans, and while they do an amazing job at that, it‘s just not enough.”

“Then all of my work was for nothing? And I suppose in five years, you’ll just tell me that I get to take over your job for another five years.”

“Well, no…actually…”

“What do you mean “no”, I’m next in line for your position aren‘t I?”

“Yes, technically you are next in line, that’s not what I was going to say. What I was going to tell you before you cut me off was that it won’t be my job in five years, you see I’m retiring before the changeovers take effect, while there’s still time.” Smart was now wading in the water next to the shark and Linda, he had a drink in his hands and a Hawaiian shirt complete with a Leigh around his neck.

“Your doing what?”

“Retiring. Yeah I’m getting the hell out of here. I’m was due for retirement myself anyway. The higher-ups offered me a severance package and I took it. My plane leaves for Hawaii tomorrow at 6:00pm and them I am GONE baby”.

The older man stands up and starts doing the cabbage patch, shaking his hips from left to right while pulling in and pushing out his arms in a perpendicular motion to his hips. Realizing that his little dance may be upsetting to Reynolds, he sits down awkwardly and clasps his hands together awaiting a response.

“Then why can’t I be promoted to your position now? You are only one grade above me, I can handle your job for one measly year.” A faint glimmer of hope began to emerge in his eye as Reynolds leaned forward. Smart avoided his eyes for a moment before speaking.

“Sorry, can’t do it. My job has already been filled. You remember a couple years back, when Agent Murdock’s department hyper-evolved that dolphin only to find out that they made him too smart? They ended up having to give him a job with R & D. Apparently he’s a real go-getter, been rising through the ranks ever since. Tomorrow he‘ll be moving in here to oversee the rest of the merger.” At that sentence, the shark began laughing so hard he started crying. As he laughed, Linda was propelled out of the shark’s mouth, landing in the water.

“Mother fu@#$%”

“Hey don’t talk about your new boss that way, dolphins can take that kind of thing personally. I know I wouldn’t take that kind of crap from you. I’d tear you a new #$%hole right now if I wasn’t a mere eighteen hours away from drinking myself into oblivion on Waikiki beach.”

“So I’m supposed to wait five years and then get permission to retire from a dolphin? What if there is another merger before then and he gets replaced by a hyper-evolved gopher or something?”

“Don’t be silly, we’re still years away from developing hyper-evolved gophers. In any case, it doesn’t matter if there is another merger. You can’t be demoted again without just-cause.” Reynolds sunk in his chair, unable to comprehend the situation.

“Oh, there is one potential piece of good news.” He pulled a piece of paper out of the folder in front of him and passed it to Reynolds. “The high-ups are having a kind-of lottery for all the projects about to be cancelled. Whichever project can eliminate a substantial loose end and thus prevent a serious shit-storm from hitting the media, will get his or her project saved from the chopping block.”

“Loose ends?”

“Yeah, see with all the foul-ups involving super-humans lately there is a lot of cleaning up to do. There have been so many failed attempts to create super-soldiers that are now running around causing trouble for the taxpayers, that the administration can’t read the front page of any newspaper without feeling like idiots. They want to see some progress on eliminating these messes, and they want to see it within a week or two at the most.”

“So all I have to do is eliminate some idiot who got his powers from Uncle Sam and my project will be saved? And I’ll get to keep my position long enough to retire?”

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t get too worked up about it. No one in the White House seems to think anyone will actually succeed at this. It’s just another of the president’s “initiatives” that he will probably have forgotten about come Friday.”

As Reynolds left the office, his mind was racing. How could he do it? Find some super-hero or villain that was a product of the government’s ineptitude and silence them? That could work, if only he could find one fast enough. He started to wonder if his C.U.B.S. were up to the task. Well, for the safety of the American people (and his retirement) they had to be.


He sure as hell wasn’t going to let that damn shark have the last laugh.

===========================================================================

They say you can never go home again.

For Mayte that was now true on many levels. She had left her home of the past several years to come the city where she had been born, supposedly. Leaving behind the few friends that she had along with her job tending bar, she was on her own now more so than ever before. The thought of just going home and forgetting this little quest still hung in the back of her mind. Her instincts on the other hand, wouldn’t let her quit. Not yet.

She couldn’t consider this city her home either, it hadn’t been since she was twelve years old. While looking for an apartment, Mayte visited the ashes of the “Open Your Heart” adoption agency. To see it all collapsed and charred hurt her more than she thought it would. Those people took great care of her until she was adopted, not like some of the horror stories you heard about “orphanages”. While none of them had been killed in the fire, they deserved better than this for their efforts. For twelve years she lived in this city, having only returned once when she was eighteen to try and get information from the agency about her father. They weren’t any more helpful ten years ago than they could be now.

It had only been three days since she saw that news report on El Tigre, and she was back where it all began, if only for the time being. Standing in the living room of her new second story apartment she wondered just how long she would be here. A knock on the door brought her out of her memories and back to the present. She quickly checked to make sure her tale was tied around her waist and that her t-shirt was in place to cover the knot.

The landlord, a nice forgiving old man wearing a faded flannel shirt stood on the other side of the door. He had shrunk in his old age, and was now just a little bit shorter than Mayte.

“Hello, Ms. Rodriguez.”

“Hey, Mr. Wilson” Mayte’s first thought upon hearing the man’s name was of the Dennis the Menace character who always yelled at the kid when he screwed up. This man was in fact his polar opposite, probably one of the kindest men she had ever met.

“I’m sorry to trouble you dear, but now that all your things have arrived, do you happen to have the advance rent and deposit we spoke about?”

“Sure, hang on one second” she turned, leaving the door open and walked across the room. On the coffee table was an envelope with her name on it. Even though her mother wasn’t crazy about her plan, she still gave her daughter the money to find a place. It wasn’t easy for Mayte to accept, she knew it would take a while to pay her mother back, but she didn’t really have a choice. Her savings (what there was) would only keep her in food for a week or two. She could get the advance rent back when she returned home after her mission was complete, and only lose the deposit money. She hoped all she would need is a week or two, if this took any longer than that she was going to need a job. And fast.

“Here you go”

“Thank you, and I want to apologize once again for the increase in the deposit. The last tenant in this apartment skipped town so suddenly and left behind quite a mess. And ever since, the misses has been so ornery about making new rules and this and that…I hate making new rules.” his voice is soft, and tired. His head, as he spoke, was sinking into his chest. He actually seemed saddened for having to ask for the extra money.

“I understand Mr. Wilson, you won’t have that trouble from me.” she smiles, a soft smile that seems to lift the older man’s spirit’s a little bit.

“Thank you, and please if there is anything wrong with the new apartment, please let me know. I’ll have it fixed right away. Well, I guess you have a lot of unpacking to do. If you need a hand, I have a grandson who could help out.”

“That’s okay, I’ll manage on my own.” He straightened up, fixed his glasses and turned to leave. Mayte hung onto the door for a second longer and watched him walk down the hall and start down the staircase. He must have been a great dad, she thinks. So forgiving, so trusting. Not like her dad who left before she could even know him, or her foster dad who…

She shakes her head to try and forget about her foster father, shutting the door she starts thinking instead about what she’ll unpack first. She starts with the cooking utensils, pots, pans and all that stuff. Which is easy, because she doesn’t really know how to cook. Unpacking her favorite coffee mug, a few microwaveable Tubbaware containers, and some forks and knives only took a grand total of forty seconds. Next is clothing, but just as she’s opening the first of several boxes the phone rings.

“Nuthouse, head nut speaking” she knows it’s her mother calling, she‘s the only one who has her new number. The two of them had shared secret greetings and in-jokes since about the day Mayte learned to speak. Some times, it was hard to tell that they were mother and daughter and not sisters.

“Ha, how are things? Are you settling in ok?” …and clock it, yep, a new land speed record for the 100-meter nag. “Did the movers damage anything?” …and the medal goes to (Mayte pretends to cut open an envelope, then blow it open)…Carmen Rodriguez everybody!

“I’m ok ma, nothing is broken. I’m just starting to unpack now.”

“How long did setting up the kitchen take?” Carmen smiles on the other end of the line, Mayte just rolls her eyes. Her mother is a fabulous cook, and despite numerous failures still held out hope that she could one day impart her skills onto her daughter.

“About eight seconds longer than last time”

“Oh, so you did bring forks and knives this time. Was there enough room for them all?” Mayte grimaces and clenches the phone tighter.

“Yeah there was just enough. It’s a real shame I won’t get to use them though…”

“What? Why not?” genuine concern creeps into her voice for a moment.

“Well, with all the restaurants on my block alone, I’ll probably never even need them with all the free plastic ones I‘ll get. There’s a pizza place, a Chinese place…I mean there’s a Taco Bell just two blocks from here ma. Can you believe that, what luck!” Her mother hated when she ate out all the time. She had lost count of the number of times she had chastised her about living off of fast-food. And worse, even though she knew her daughter was joking, she got irked anyway.

Neither of them says anything for a moment, they don’t have to. They both know the other is smiling on the other end of the line and that sums up their entire relationship. If anyone doubts that there is such a thing as telepathy, Carmen and Mayte Rodriguez could change their mind.

“Mayte, can we talk about this plan of yours for a moment? I know you think you have this all figured out, but I’m still worried.” Mayte was expecting this, for the fifth and hopefully last time she began to explain her idea.

“It’s not going to be that dangerous ma, all I have to do is make it onto the news once, maybe twice. If enough people see me fighting crime, looking like I do (she absent-mindedly plays with her tail underneath her shirt) then they’ll report it. And once it’s on the news, this guy El Tigre might see it. And if he does, and he really is my father, and he really wants to find me…he’ll come back here.

“You don’t think it’s going to be dangerous? Mayte, there are killers and rapists out there. What if you run into someone with a gun or a knife? Who’s going to come and rescue you then?”

“I’m not going to fight anybody like that, I’ll pick my battles carefully”

“We don’t always get to pick our battles in life Mayte, sometimes they pick you. Hoping you don’t run into anything you can’t handle isn’t a plan.”

“You’ve seen what I can do. You know better than anyone what I’m really capable of when I get to cut loose.”

“Is that what this is about? Cutting loose? Dammit Mayte, tell me this isn’t about just using your powers. You always told me you hated your powers, having that tail, and the claws. How you always wanted to be just like everyone else. And now you want to use them to do…what, become some kind of vigilante?” A moment ago, Carmen Rodriguez was having fun teasing her daughter, now she was nearly hysterical.

“Ma…it’s not like that, I swear.” her voice was softer now, but there was still a sense of defiance to it. “I might finally have a chance to find my father, to get some answers. Y’know in a way, I guess you’re right, this is about my powers, it’s about knowing where they come from.”

“Baby, it doesn’t matter where they come from. I’ll love you no matter what.” Mayte pauses for a moment, she thinks carefully about what she is going to say next.

“You’ve always told me to be true to myself, ma. The truth is though, I don’t even know who or what I am.”

“You’re my daughter”

“I’m a freak.” Carmen begins to cry, Mayte hears her, but doesn’t back down. “If I don’t find out who I am, it’s going to eat away at me for the rest of my life. It’s all I have ever wanted, you know that, ma. I have to get out of the rut my life has become. I go from one dead-end job to the next, I can’t get a real job because somebody would figure out I’m not human. Then I become a side-show, and we never get any peace.” Carmen listens intently, she has heard this speech before many times and yet she listens as if she is hearing it for the first time.

“This guy may have the answers ma, he can tell me how to have a life, while being what I am. Maybe he’s not my dad, but maybe he can help me anyway.” Through her tears, Carmen summons the strength to speak.

“If you do this, no one will help you. I can’t run to the rescue if you get caught up in something you can’t handle. The police won’t help you, this El Tigre won’t help you and you can be damned sure ordinary people aren’t going to help you.”

“I’m already on my own ma, I have been since the day you convinced me to hide who I really am.” Before she can stop herself, the words spill out of Mayte’s mouth. She grits her teeth and turns her head to one side as she braces for her mother’s response, but all she gets is silence. She lowers her head in shame, searching for the words to say as if they might be written on the tops of her shoes.

She has never openly blamed her mother for how she has been forced to live her life, but they have both thought it before. It had remained unspoken for years, and now all she wanted to do was take back it back. There’s something else though, somewhere in the back of her mind. She has wanted to say that to her mother for years, every time they had a fight, every time her powers caused them trouble, but she never actually said it. She almost feels…good, now that it’s out in the open. For good or ill, she had to say it eventually.

“I hope….I hope you find what you are looking for. And I hope it’s worth it. Goodbye, my little Gato-Niña.” Carmen hangs up before Mayte can say anything else. She starts crying too as the sound of the disconnected phone begins to echo in her ears.

At her home, Carmen Rodriguez collapses into her chair. Her daughter has never hurt her like this before. Not just because of the anger or disrespect, but because deep down, Carmen knows that her daughter is right. She never knew what to do with a super-powered child, all she could think of were ways to hide her powers from everyone. And when her husband left them, hiding what her daughter had become turned into something of a mantra. She always knew that one day her little Gato-Niña would seek out her father, or try to use her powers openly. Now she had to deal with both at the same time.

Mayte hung up the phone and turned toward the wall. She loved her mother more than anyone in the world, talking like that to her was like a dagger to her own heart. Resting her head against the wall she thought, I hope it’s worth it too.

She turned back to the boxes piled everywhere in the room. Her enthusiasm for unpacking them all today had vanished. She moved one box over to the end of the bed, another got shoved next to the dresser while a third went straight into the closet in the other room. As she reached for the next box, she stopped to wipe a tear from her eye. Her name was written clearly on top of the box, but she didn’t recognize it.

There was a box cutter over on the window sill, but she didn’t need it. Turning her right hand palm-upward, she unceremoniously flicked her wrist producing a single claw from her index finger. One swipe across the packing tape and it was open, and as she pulled the flaps apart she froze.

Inside was a domino mask, like super-heroes wore. Just a thin piece of fabric shaped like two diamonds with holes cut in them for her eyes with a strap to be tied around her head. Beneath it were two other bundles.

Her mother had made her a costume. At the very bottom, underneath the boots, was a note. “Be careful out there. And know that whatever you find out about yourself, I will always love you.” signed “mom”

If Mayte could fall through a hole and just die right now she would. She glanced at the boots, the leggings and the rest of the costume. Colored like a Bengal Tiger, with orange and white mixed with black stripes it was a fearsome sight. And the boots were awesome! Any other day her mother would give her hell for wearing such provocative clothes, and now she wanted her daughter to go out into the night fighting drug dealers and pimps dressed like this? As upset as Mayte was, she had to smile at the fact that even though her mother had her doubts, she still supported her every step of the way. She would give her mother some time to calm down, and to calm down herself as well, before calling to apologize.

Outside the window, the sun was starting to go down. Mayte had planned to wait a day or two and learn to navigate the city a little bit before going ahead with her plan. But the idea of staying in right now, with all these emotions running around inside her head, made getting out and unpacking tomorrow seem like the best idea she had had all day.



“I guess it’s time to put these to work.”