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Scene 9: Kevin is late for work.

Deserted clothing store, Dreg City, 6 am. Only a dim security light on in the store.

He surveyed himself in the mirror. He no longer looked like Kevin, but a blond, blue-eyed cousin. He still hadn’t gotten this mask thing right. Last time he met Sabrina, he was dark-haired and dark-eyed. Back to the drawing boards.

The effects of the mask would wear off, but he would have enough time and anonymity to get the job done and get back to his life as mild-mannered, well-built, but perpetually tired software developer. If only he could quit his day job, he’d have all the time and energy he needed busting crime and righting wrongs. But even the Khaki Avenger had to eat.

"Hi there, handsome" exclaimed a voice from within the shadows. The Khaki Avenger watched appreciatively as she walked gracefully into the dim light.

"Hi, beautiful. I heard you whistle. And I came running."

Sabrina rolled her eyes and then got down to business. “I did some more digging and guess what?”

She went into details about how several years ago, Lu C ruined Sandi’s up-and-coming catering business. But instead of starting over, or going into something else, Sandi watched and waited as Brightbight’s Bites grew into the catering business of choice with Technopolis’s upper crust. Still, it did seem strange to Sabrina’s sharp reading of people that Sandi landed on her feet as Brightbight’s trusted assistant. Or maybe the “trusted” part was only an illusion covering up something more sinister.

She said, “I don’t have all the details, but I did find out that your old pal Samuel Mordecai is involved right up to his Gucci loafers in Sandi’s sudden rise out of the flames of her destruction.”

The Khaki Avenger's stomach churned as Sabrina delivered this news. Mordecai was his most formidable enemy who had used his prestige and power as chairman of Galactron Industries to perpetrate several crimes in the past. Although the Khaki Avenger was able to stop most of them, he was never able to implicate Mordecai directly. Mordecai owned politicians and policeman, and no one in the TPD even dared investigate this corporate despot. They simply took him at his word. A big mistake.

“So old Sammy is up to his usual no-good. Maybe this time we can nail him. I’ve got a spy thingy installed in the labs at Galactron headquarters to take a closer look at the bioresearch arm of his empire. I hear from someone close to the project that Mordecai has brought in someone to develop toxins that act like poisons, but leave no footprints for forensics to find.”

He thought of the old guy, Larry, who had given him this unsubstantiated tip and wondered why he believed the derelict. Must be his sweet scent.

“I’m beginning to believe that it might even be something – a strain of virus – being developed at the Moon labs. Maybe the tipster has it right.”

“Yours? Or mine.” Sabrina thought of the anonymous call she got late last night. A woman’s voice, she was almost sure.

“Mine, you don’t want to know about. It is really a stretch, but it has me thinking.”

The Khaki Avenger grunted and went on, “Something does not add up with Brightbight's staff. Especially her number one assistant, Sandi Bartoni. I don't have proof, but something stinks there, like that waiter guy who creeped me out on the yacht."

“You were on the yacht as a guest? Witnesses put you there only after the yacht docked in the harbor.” Sabrina eyed him with new interest.

She went on. "There is something else. Guess what paper-thin caterer’s assistant has been seen around town on the brutish arm of a certain ruthless but well-heeled mogul?”

He muttered something under his breath.

“That’s right,” she went on, “our pal Sandi is the romantic interest of Samuel Mordecai, Sr.”

His stomach churned again as he made some computer adjustments. “You are new to the city. Everybody but Mordecai’s wife knows about it. A match made in hell.”

Sabrina sensed his alarm, and added, "Look, here is my two cents. Bartoni hates Brightbight. Mordecai has a pathological hatred for Marshall Prescott. Wants to see him fall from his great height. What better way to ruin his pet Brightbight through the Top Caterer contest? It would embarrass Prescott and open up the field for Mordecai’s mistress, Sandi. Rumors are flying that Brightbight is about to get severely censured by the Top Catering people. Sandi Bartoni is poised to take over and I’m sure Sammy Sr. would have no problem floating the cash to his gal if she needs it. Everybody wins but the victims."

“Yeah, but why did you want to meet? Couldn’t we have done this on the phone?”

Sabrina raised her eyebrows. “What. You late for work, or something?”

He could think of nothing to say to that, so he got back to the subject at hand.

“You wanted to show me something?”

She turned her Visi so he could see it. There was a rough video of the SpacePort. People, the first tourists coming back from the Moon colony. A man in the shadows. Passes off something to a waiting man in a suit. Both leave quickly but without the notice of security. The man in the suit even nodded to the dignitaries waiting to greet the passengers debarking.

“…the Moon virus,” she finished. “I got this from my source at the WBI.”

“I know that man in the suit. I saw him on the yacht with a tray of canapés. And just now, in a Galactron lab.”

Sabrina chewed on a fingernail. “Does this mean what I think it means? We’re on to something for real?”

"He has to be stopped, Sabrina. Mordecai is behind this. He started off with petty crimes, then gambling, and sailed easily into corporate and white-collar crimes as his business empire grew. Now he is starting to branch off into murder and whatever that virus business means. No offense, but since the police won't get their hands dirty, I will.”

She started to leave, but turned back. “I know you, don’t I?”

“Do you?” and he melted into the shadows of the deserted store.

Kevin raced through traffic again. This time he was headed for FutureSoft. This time he was late for work. His mask was fading and he took it off and plugged it in to a recharger. He knew he would need it again before this day was done.