Flame

Part 1 of 5

Not for those under 18 (or whatever the legal age for this sort of stuff is in your area). If you’re not that old, Boo! Go away now. If you are offended by graphic descriptions of sexual activities, especially non-consensual ones, then don’t read this.  All characters and situations are fictional.

Copyright 2023 greyscribbler@yahoo.com

Archived on the Read Only Mind web site by permission of the author. This story may be downloaded for personal archiving as long as this notice is retained.

Cautiously, Flame observed the warehouse from her hiding point on top of a nearby building. The young heroine had been waiting for a good hour or more, a little stiffness in her limbs all she had to show for her time. She wasn’t too worried. Not yet. According to the tipoff she’d received the delivery she’d been waiting for was to arrive at 11pm. It was only a few minutes past that.

I just wish I could warm myself up.

The winter air had a bite to it, but if she tried using her powers to do anything about it, she’d probably just end up flash frying her uniform. It wouldn’t be the first time, even if the head-to-toe red outfit, the colour matching her hair, was made of fire-resistant material.

A few minutes later a nondescript white van pulled into the street. Flame hunkered down a little lower. She wasn’t worried about being seen. Part of the reason she’d been here so long was to get in place before any spotters the gang might employ. She hadn’t noticed any. Criminals often got careless.

The heroine allowed a small smile to curl her lips as the van pulled up in front of the warehouse and a man in blue overalls hopped out to open the door.

Looks like the intel was good after all. If the information she’d received was correct, then the back of the van was full of weapons. She didn’t want Seattle’s gangs getting their hands on any of that.

The man climbed back into the van and drove it inside, the door closing behind it. Now she had to wait again.

Fifteen minutes later, Flame toying with the idea of trying warm herself up despite the risks, a sleek black car pulled up in front of the warehouse, the door opening without anyone getting out. If everything she’d been told was correct, this was the buyers, members of the Giordano crime family.

Once the car was inside and the door closed behind it, Flame took another look around. For a moment she couldn’t shake the sense that she was being watched but she couldn’t spot anyone. Telling herself to stop worrying, she hopped over the edge of the building and used a convenient drainpipe to slip to ground level. Not for the first time she wished she could fly. A lot of heroes with elemental powers like hers could, but she’d never managed it. Like the trick with using her powers at a subtle enough level to warm herself up. Her powers seemed to have two settings. Big. And bigger.

Carefully she made her way around behind the warehouse. Before taking up her position opposite, Flame had scouted the building. And noticed the back door with a very poor quality lock. Which she’d easily broken. If the criminals she was after hadn’t bothered to check, getting into the building would be a breeze.

The redheaded heroine smiled to herself as she tried the door. It was still unlocked. She couldn’t hear anyone about. Slipping inside and into the shadows she carefully made her way towards the front of the building.

“Top quality, man, top quality,” a male voice floated in her direction. “You got your magazines, scopes. Even a couple of grenade launchers.”

Peering out from behind a pile of wooden boxes Flame cautiously observed the scene before her. On the right were what she guessed were the sellers, a trio of men, one in blue coveralls, probably the driver of the van, two more in jeans and hoodies.

On the left were the buyers, three more men, all wearing suits, two of them wearing dark glasses, even at this time of night. It wasn’t just their muscles that made their suit jackets bulge.

“If they’re that good, show me.”

Flame had to work to stop a sharp intake of breath. The third of the buyers was Tony Giordano, youngest son of Frankie Giordano, the family’s boss. She hadn’t expected someone so high up. He’d make a nice prize for the evening.

“Sure man, sure,” one of the hoodie-wearing gun runners grinned, heading around to the back of the van and returning with an automatic rifle. “Try it yourself.  We lined up some boxes for ya.”

Flame’s eyes shot wide.  For a moment she’d thought he meant the boxes she was hiding behind. But then she saw the gun-runner was pointing to a row of smaller boxes lined up against the far wall.  With a grin he tossed the rifle to Tony.

The mobster took his time examining the weapon. The way he cocked and primed it was far too expert for Flame’s liking. Without warning, Giordano aimed and fired. Bullets raked the wall, boxes dissolving into splinters.

She’d seen enough.

Stepping out from her hiding spot, the heroine called. “Drop your weapons, this is a bust.” Maybe she’d get tired of saying that, or the like, someday, but for now it was still a thrill.

The six men whirled in her direction, shock plain the gangster’s faces. Tony’s bodyguards were already pulling out their weapons.

Tony didn’t need to bother with that. He already had one in his hands. “Fuck you!” he cried as he fired.

“Seriously?” Flame sighed. “It’s not like the first time I’ve run across your guys.” She was, the heroine admitted to herself, still new, barely into her second year as a crimefighter. But she’d had her share of run-ins with the city’s organised crime families. Enough, she thought, that they should know what she could do.

The bullets never reached the heroine, slamming into her shields before melting into red hot balls and dropping to the concrete floor where they sizzled away for a moment before spluttering out.

The bodyguards had their guns out now too, pointing in her direction.

With a wave of her hand the weapons turned red hot, the guns turning into so much slag like the bullets had.  The three yelped and dropped their weapons. If she was unlucky they’d have minor burns to show for it. But melting the guns was as precise as she could get. She’d have loved to have been able to just affect the barrels. It might be a cliché but she really wanted to see some gangsters still holding their weapons, barrels drooping and looking stupidly at each other.

Oh well.

The three gun runners had been watching, wide-eyed, their heads swivelling between the heroine and the mobsters. As what was left of the guns splattered to the floor they turned and ran for their van.

“Nope, not having that.” Another wave of the hand and a ring of fire surrounded the three men. It was large enough that they’d be safe in the centre, but trying to leave the circle would definitely be bad for their health.

“Oh, and you clowns as well.” Another gesture and two more circles leapt into existence, one around the bodyguards. And one just for Tony.

“What the fuck?” the mobster cried. “Let me out of this, you bitch. My lawyer’s going to have your arse. Fucking cunt.”

“Really?” Flame scoffed. “That the best you can come up with?” Despite her air of nonchalance she really didn’t like the insults. She’d heard them too often. For a moment she wondered what the mobster would have said if he’d been caught by a man. Not that there were any male superheroes.

We’ll see what he says when the cops turn up.

Pulling out her phone from a pocket on her uniform, the heroine dialled her special contact number for Seattle’s police force. Now all she had to do was wait. Casually Flame leant against one of the piles of boxes. She wasn’t as relaxed as she was trying to appear. Three circles was the most she could maintain at once. Hopefully there wasn’t any backup coming for her captives.

Tony seemed to have different ideas. Through the fire Flame could see the mobster pulling out a phone.

With a thought the circle shrank around him. “Throw it out,” Flame ordered.

“Fuck you,” the mobster replied.

“You’re not very imaginative, are you?” the heroine shot back. “Throw it out.” She had the circle creep a little closer to him.

“You wouldn’t fucking dare!” he called.

“Want to try me?”

Flame couldn’t hear the next words from Tony’s mouth, but she suspected that they weren’t polite. Pushing the flames a little closer she could see him start to sweat.

“Fuck you, bitch!” the mobster cried. But he also tossed the phone through the flames, the device soon a medium sized blob on the concrete floor.

“The rest of you as well,” she ordered, five more puddles soon joining the first.

That done, she pulled the fire away from her chief prize. She didn’t want any mistakes. A char-broiled mobster probably wouldn’t make her any friends. And she wasn’t a killer. It was just as well he hadn’t called her bluff. If he hadn’t given in she’d have had to drop the flame circle and take the phone off him by force.

Which reminds me, I need to make sure I get to my marital arts training this week. No-one had ever told her that being a hero wasn’t just nightly patrols. There was training, and looking for information and sourcing gear and all sort of other things. And that was before keeping up her secret identity – Hailey Farrell, twenty-year-old, not terribly successful, college student. Her academic record wasn’t helped by having to fit in part-time work. It was no wonder things slipped some time. Like her combat training. She really needed to make some time for it.

“Nice haul you’ve got tonight.”

Flame had been so deep in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard anyone approach. Almost without thinking she let loose a fireball.

“Oh shit!” she exclaimed as she took in who she’d aimed it at. And where the ball had ended up.

She’d deliberately aimed wide, the shot more intended to scare whoever it was then hurt. But she hadn’t intended to hit the van, its front half now a melted wreck.

Her erst-while target just shot her a disparaging look.

“Shit,” Flame said again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t.” She didn’t really know what else to say. Of course she recognised who was in front of her. Anybody would.

Lightning was definitely a step up the hero ladder from Flame. Well, maybe two or three steps, the redheaded heroine admittedly sheepishly. It was definitely her. No-one else looked like that. Sparks would occasionally flicker in the heroine’s electric blue hair. Miniature lightning bolts flashed in the depths of eyes that matched her long locks.  Even under her mask it was obvious that her features were classically beautiful, high cheekbones and full lips which were naturally (or maybe unnaturally) neon red.

Lightning’s uniform was pure white, a blue lightning flash adorning each of its sides. The colour wasn’t its only difference to Flame’s, it might have boasted long sleeves but the only thing covering the heroine’s legs were her knee-high high-heeled dark-blue boots, the uniform itself higher cut than any of Hailey’s bikinis, the v-neck displaying a more than modest cleavage. ‘The more famous a heroine, the more skin she shows’ wasn’t quite true but it was a meme that wouldn’t go away. Lightning’s outfit wasn’t helping, and Hailey had to wonder how practical the blue cape the woman wore was, but with the number of foes Lightning had defeated Flame didn’t think she was a position to say anything.

Her lack of speech wasn’t helped by Tony Giordano barrelling into her.

Shit.

Shooting off the fireball meant she’d had to drop one of the circles. Instinctively she’d dropped the smallest of the three, the one trapping Tony. He’d obviously decided to take his chance.

“Damn stupid fucking heroine,” he snarled as the pair wrestled on the floor.

“Need a hand there?” Lightning called, a note of amusement obvious in the blue-haired woman’s voice.

“No,” Flame managed, trying to get out from under the mobster, yanking her head to one side to avoid his fist. “I’m fine.”

It was, Flame, admitted, something of an exaggeration. The mobster was bigger and stronger than her, using his weight to pin her down. Even a knee to his groin, the mobster grunting in pain, was only enough to even the odds, the pair now rolling around on the floor, each trying to gain the upper hand.

I really do need to work on my martial arts. If she let her powers loose on the him, she’d probably kill him. Arrgh, why can’t you be incompetent as well?

Flame’s eyes shot wide as the mobster stiffened, sparks flashing around him.  She grunted at his weight as he sagged against her.

“Sorry,” Lightning grinned, cheekily blowing on her pointed finger, as Flame crawled her way out from underneath the unconscious mobster. “I know you said you were fine but I’m on a bit of a schedule.”

“Um, it’s okay,” Flame replied, dusting herself off. “Thanks.”

“Nice way you kept the other two circles up through that,” Lightning observed, indicating the rings of fire keeping the other five criminals penned. “But I’m guessing your fine control can use some work.”

Flame’s lips pressed into a thin line. Lightning was right. But that didn’t mean she wanted to admit it. Not in front of some criminals. Or a hero like Lightning.

“Hey,” the other woman’s smile was friendly. “We’ve all been there. I know what it’s like having to work it out for yourself. Which is why I’m here. We’ve been watching you for a while. And we’d like you to join us.”

Flame really was speechless now. She knew what Lightning meant. The woman was one of the leaders of the Harmony Combine, maybe even the leader. And the Combine was one of the most important groups of superheroes in the world. Hailey wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

“Not sure?” Lightning laughed, as if reading her mind. Or possibly her expression, even behind Flame’s mask that covered her head and upper face. “I get it. Tell you what. Come visit the Compound. Maybe stay overnight. We’ll show you what we can offer and then you can make up your mind. We can give you training, both in your powers and in other things, basic combat, detective work. We can help with contacts, resources. There’s a message on your phone. Just let us know if you decide to come.”

Without waiting for a reply Lightning shot from the ground and sped out of an open skylight.

I wish I could have used that to get in.

Shaking her head Flame turned to Giordano’s motionless form. He looked like he’d be out for some time. Deciding not to take any chances, Flame slapped a pair of handcuffs on him. That way, even keeping up the circles around all the others, she’d have something left if there were any other interruptions. Now all she had to do was wait for the police.

And think about Lightning’s offer.

---

A few days later

“I’m glad you decided to take us up,” Lightning smiled as Hailey looked back at the security she’d just come through. It was like the x-ray machines at airports. But on steroids. “Oh, that. It checks magic, technology. All sorts of things.”

Hailey had hesitated over whether to accept the invitation. The idea that the Combine could help her develop her powers was more than tempting. But she valued her independence. She knew that if she joined the group she’d have to be on call for them as well as everything else. But in the end she’d decided that checking it out couldn’t hurt. Now she was wondering what she’d got herself into, the interior of the Compound wasn’t something the Combine advertised. It looked to be straight out of a science fiction movie, all gleaming white walls and strip lights glowing from the edges of the floor.

At least she was wearing her uniform. It made her feel like Flame. Lightning was wearing hers as well.

“Let’s get you settled then I’ll show you around. Oh, you’ll need this first. Visitor’s commlink for Flame, please Penny.” Lightning leaned on a counter just past the security device. Behind it sat a pretty young blonde woman in a grey uniform. Non-powered employees was something else that Hailey hadn’t expected.

“Here you go,” the blonde replied. “I hope you enjoy your stay.”

“Just clip it in,” Lightning directed, brushing her hair back over her ear to show she was wearing one. “See?”

Wordlessly, Penny turned her head, mirroring Lightning’s gesture to show that she was wearing one as well.

After some fumbling to get the device under the headpiece of her uniform Hailey managed to slip hers into place.

“Hello, Flame,” an unfamiliar female voice declared, the heroine’s head whipping around to see who had crept up on her.

She couldn’t see anyone.

“Oh, that would be Anna,” Lightning smiled.

“Anna?” Hailey asked, kicking herself for how stupid she sounded.

“Artificial Neural Network Advisor,” Lightning explained. “The Compound’s AI. You need anything, just let her know.”

“My name is not an acronym,” the voice in Hailey’s ear tsked. “That was someone’s idea of a joke. I am far more than a neural network.”

Lightning just shrugged, obviously able to hear Anna as well.

Hailey was sure it wasn’t just the annoyance in Anna’s voice she could hear. “Um, there’s a bit of a buzz?”

“Your hearing must be unusually sensitive,” Anna replied. “Let me adjust that. Good now?”

“Yeah,” the redheaded heroine agreed. It was. Wasn’t it? Anything she was hearing besides Anna’s voice had to be her imagination.

Lightning, at least, seemed satisfied. “Let’s get the tour started.”

A little while later Hailey was feeling overwhelmed. She hadn’t realised how big the Compound was. Laboratories, arsenals, storage rooms. Not to mention rec rooms and a dining area. And if just now and then she thought she heard something more from the comms device than Anna’s commentary she didn’t think it was worth mentioning. She didn’t want to be rude. Even if it did occasionally sound almost like words.

She’d been particularly taken by the training areas, a sequence of large rooms whose interior configuration could be switched at the press of finger to a computer screen. Or a word to Anna. Hailey had wanted to linger there. She’d been in awe, watching Block spar with Martial. Despite Block’s small stature, Flame had thought the Japanese-American heroine would have the advantage. Marital didn’t have much in the way of powers, just fast healing and above human reflexes, and all the statuesque heroine had brought to the fight was a quarterstaff.  But the way it whirled in Martial’s hands, knocking the stream of blocks the smaller woman sent in her direction, almost had Flame wondering if the black-clad heroine did have other powers. The way the two women moved, Block avoiding Martial’s blows, the taller woman deftly avoiding the constructs Block sent after her, took the redhead’s breath away. In the end it was Martial who was winner, leaping from one of Block’s constructs to another before pulling her blow just in front of the shorter woman’s face.

“Come on,” Lightning said. “Martial’ll be looking for someone else to fight and if she sees us…”

Hailey admitted she wasn’t ready for that. “You said I could get training? How does that work?”

“Let’s show you.”

Lightning led her to another training room, similar to the one she’d seen Block and Martial using, but smaller. “In you go,” the older heroine said. “And don’t worry if you let go. These rooms are designed to take Stellar’s nova blasts.” Hailey had to blink at that. The mauve skinned, white haired alien’s nova blasts could take down alien battlecruisers.

Hailey headed into the room and then stopped. She’d expected Lightning to accompany her. But she was alone. “Um, how?”

“Me,” Anna said in her ear.  If the AI had a mouth, Hailey would have sworn it was grinning. Which was exactly what the hologram of a slim, dark-haired woman wearing yoga pants and a loose top was doing when she appeared in front of Hailey. “Hello Flame. I can use this form to demonstrate. This is my default appearance but I can modify it if you’d like.”

“No, umm, that’s fine,” Hailey mumbled. For a moment she wondered why the AI looked quite so stunning. But then, heroines did, so anything less probably would have looked out of place.

“Now,” the AI began, “elementals like yourself usually don’t use weapons, relying on their powers and hand-to-hand combat. From analysing recordings of your encounters I deduce you have some training. Shall we start with some basic forms before moving up to android opponents? That will help me make an assessment of your status. If you choose to join us we will arrange specialist trainers.”

Anna’s idea of ‘basic’ and how many times she had Hailey run through them would probably have put a smile on the face of Hailey’s trainer back in Seattle. Not that the old man knew she was anyone other than Hailey. The workout left the young heroine feeling like a sack of spaghetti. And that was before the AI unleashed an android on her.

If this is the basic setting, Hailey thought as she was thrown to the floor for the umpteenth time, I really do not want to know what advanced is.

“I think you’ve given her enough,” Lightning said eventually. “She still needs to be able to walk.”

“I have sufficient data to design a suitable training program,” Anna quipped professionally.

“Why don’t you grab a shower before dinner?” Lightning suggested, laughing. “We’ve only got you for today and tomorrow, so we need to pack everything in. You sure you couldn’t have given us a bit longer?”

“Sorry,” Hailey apologised, shaking her head. “Look, I really appreciate what you’re offering. But I don’t feel right leaving home unguarded.”

“Well,” Lightning shrugged. “No need to make your mind up yet. If you do decide to stay longer, just let us know. We can have someone cover for you.”

After that, Lightning guided Hailey to her room for the night, the door sliding open as they approached. There were no windows, most of the Compound below ground for security purposes. But it did have an enticingly large bed and one wall which seemed to be a giant television screen. It was currently showing shots of a tropical island.

“You can have it show whatever you like,” Lightning explained as Hailey eyed the bed. She just wanted to collapse on it. “It’s supposed to be for communication and information display but it helps make up for no windows. Ah. Good. Your bag’s here.” Hailey noted her small overnight bag sitting in the middle of the bed. “Shower’s through there,” Lightning said, indicating another door. “You can leave Anna’s comm in. Don’t worry, it’s waterproof. I’ll be back in, say, forty minutes? We can get some food then. You’re probably hungry.”

After Lightning left, Hailey simply stood in the middle of the room and looked around. It wasn’t just the bed or the television. There was an expansive desk, shelves and what looked to be a very large built-in wardrobe behind sliding mirrored doors. After she took her boots off her feet sank into the luxurious carpet. It was all a step up from her meagre student accommodation.

Still not convinced, the heroine told herself. Seattle needed her.

“Lightning did say you could leave it in,” Anna quipped as Hailey reached for the earpiece.

“I know,” the redhead replied, somewhat embarrassed to be caught out. “But, you know. Better safe than sorry. Wouldn’t want it shorting.”

“Trust me,” Hailey could hear the smile in Anna’s voice. “You can leave it in. you don’t need to take it out.”

Hailey’s hand dropped away from her ear. It wasn’t, she decided, worth making a fuss about.

“Wow,” the redhead gasped after she opened the door to the bathroom. “It’s huge.” There wasn’t just a shower in the tiled space, but a luxurious bath as well. The bathroom was, just possibly, bigger than her entire student room.

After grabbing a set of clean underwear from her overnight bag, Hailey headed for the shower, then stopped once she was inside. “Um, Anna?” she began.

“Yes, Flame?”

“You haven’t got any cameras in here have you?” Her hand fluttered over the fastenings on her uniform. “I mean, you have to be able to see the whole base, right?”

“I do, as it happens,” the AI informed her. “For security purposes I need to be able to access the entire complex. But their default setting is off in the bathrooms. I assume you want to leave it that way in yours?”

“Yes, please,” Hailey replied, feeling a definite sense of relief.

A feeling that only magnified as she stood under the steaming water.

“If this is your preferred temperature, I can set it so the water is automatically at this level when you turn it on. We want to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.”

Hailey blinked. She’d almost forgotten about the AI. “Um, okay.” After the training session her muscles were so stiff. Hailey luxuriated in the feel of the water on her naked body, soapy hands running over her arms and legs. Over her stomach. Her hands massaged her naked breasts, a moan escaping her lips. One hand slipped between her legs. It felt so good. A finger slipped inside. She was so wet.

What?

It wasn’t like her to get off in the shower. She couldn’t understand why she was so turned on. But she was. One hand was still stroking her breasts, her nipples so erect as she lightly pinched them. Waves of arousal spread from her centre, a second finger joining the first. For a moment she thought she should worry about what she was doing. But it all felt too good, her fingers now circling her engorged clit. Reluctantly, she tore her hand away from her breasts. She needed it to support herself, her knees weakening. But nothing was taking her hand away from her centre, her fingers driving into her sopping pussy, again and again, pleasure radiating out from her centre. Hailey’s hips bucked once, twice, as she came, her whole body shuddering from her climax.

What the? That wasn’t like her at all. Masturbation wasn’t something she often indulged in. And never in the shower. Maybe she’d just been worked up. Or something. She certainly felt better for the release. But she needed to finish her shower. Lightning would be back soon.

Hailey’s hand ran over her thigh, delicious sparks shooting from the contact. She couldn’t believe how turned she still was. Her other hand found her breast again, pulling at a nipple, a guttural sound escaping her throat. She needed to, um. Hailey couldn’t believe how much she wanted release, not after just having orgasmed. But she did. She thrust two fingers back into her pussy, eagerly pumping away. The heel of her hand ground into her clit, white hot lines shooting from it to her nipples.

Hailey sagged against the wall of the shower as she came again.

“Are you alright, Flame?”

Oh God, did she hear all that? Embarrassment flooded the young heroine. Although it couldn’t quite erase the pleasant afterglow she was basking in.

“Um, yeah. I’m fine. Totally fine.”

“You might want to get out of the shower now,” Anna chided. “Lightning will be here soon.”

Hailey nodded. Then realised Anna couldn’t see her. “Uh, thanks,” she managed weakly. Even if Anna had heard, she was just an AI. And it was just as well the program had said something. Despite cumming twice, Hailey was tempted to go again.

“Have a good shower?” Lightning asked a few minutes later as they headed to the dining facilities.

Hailey’s eyes shot wide, hoping she didn’t look as embarrassed as she felt. Lightning couldn’t know, could she? Anna wouldn’t say anything. Mortified, Hailey glanced shyly at her fellow heroine.

Lightning simply looked back at her innocently. “Everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah, great,” Hailey managed. Then pulled up short as Lightning led her into another room.

The room itself was much as she’d expected, sleek simple furnishings, tables laid out ready for meals. It was the other people in the room. It wasn’t just Block and Martial. There was Phase, Red Dawn and Regenerator. Others too, Hailey’s head spinning.

“Where do you want to sit?” Lightning asked.

Hailey was almost tempted to ask to sit with one of the others but couldn’t summon up the courage. In the end she indicated a corner in the table.

“Does everyone always wear their uniforms?” Hailey asked quietly.

Lightning shook he head. “No. But we thought it would make you feel more at ease. It’s a big thing, taking the mask off. Even just to other heroes. We don’t want to rush you.”

Hailey appreciated the sentiment but with most of the other heroes coming over to say hello she felt her head spinning. As the end of meal Martial was the only exception.

“Don’t worry about her,” Lightning laughed, indicating the black-clad heroine. “She likes to keep up her image.”

Back her in room, Hailey lay on her bed. She was exhausted, and not just from the training session. She’d allowed herself to dream of the big time but hadn’t seriously believed that she could make it. Now she was on the verge. It was exhilarating, despite her fatigue. Almost as if she was floating…

She needed some sleep.

Rising, Hailey slipped off her uniform, standing there in just her knickers and sports bra. She realised that Anna would be able to see her, face and all. The AI had told her the cameras were off in the bathroom, but she hadn’t mentioned the main room. Somehow, that didn’t bother her anymore. It was just an AI, after all, no matter how realistic it seemed. After fishing around in her bag for her sleepwear, a loose t-shirt and boyshorts, Hailey quickly changed, before her hand reached for the comms device.

“Please leave it in,” the voice of Anna slipped into her ear. “It’s much easier in case I need to contact you in case of an emergency during the night.”

Hailey paused for a moment. Surely there was a PA system? But something told her it would be better not to make a fuss. Leaving the device in place, she slipped into bed. It didn’t take her long to fall asleep.

Even if she was sure that there were faint, gentle, sounds coming from the earpiece.

(To be continued)