Fantasy So Night Follows Day by TMaskedWriter

[Ramesh_Rocky]

Contessa Helena de San Finzione sat in a chair in the dining hall of Castle Finzione. She smoked as she looked up at the three paintings on the wall that the chair had been placed a decent viewing distance from. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata was playing from somewhere, but she hadn't asked for any music. It fit, though, so she said nothing.

She sensed the presence behind her, put out her cigarette, bowed her head... and was startled by something flying over her head with a loud thump. She turned and looked behind her to see the Springheel suit lying on the floor. Over to her right, someone in a US Postal worker's uniform hefted a large mailbag onto her shoulder.

"Hey, Helen." Suzy-Q, wearing a mustache, said to her. "So, this is why you want to destroy Springheel, right?"

Helen stood up and smiled, hugging the woman who looked like Susan, but Helen knew that wasn't who it was.

"Suzy-Q! But that means..."

"Yeah, you've been knocked out." Suzy-Q cut her off. "You're not dying this time, though, just unconscious. Still not sure how I'm doing this, but I've got a better idea now. I don't know what's going on out there on your end, but they'll wake you up soon, so quick: Where's the secret way out of the panic room?"

Helen composed herself.

"Hatch to a roof access in the closet. The nameplate under Vincenzo's portrait pulls out. Turn it to the left to unlock it and a retractable ladder drops down. Close the hatch, everything resets, there's a lever on the wall, pull it down if someone's following you. That'll stop the ladder from dropping for them if they find the hatch. The door out leads to the helipad, and Velasquez or one of the other Ultimados can call the express elevator if needed. Is everyone ok?"

"For now. The Ultimados are still holding them off in the hall, nobody on our side's been hurt yet, but the Triads have all the exits. Except the one I'm going to tell Susan about now. It's time I told her everything. I still don't know how."

Helen kissed her.

"Hey, you'll be fine, I'm the one who's going to have to talk with her AFTER you tell her! Thanks again, Suzy-Q. None of you die."

Suzy-Q gestured to the unconscious person in the Springheel suit.

"You either. And do something about that fucker."

Suzy-Q faded away. Helen caught the scent of ammonia, and the room began to fade.

* * *