03

“What do you mean the model I hired to show off my latest clothing line can’t make the shoot?” Lilith Morgan shouted into her headset. Lilith strode angrily along through the upper levels of her tower, the clacking of her four inch heels on the polished marble floor echoing in the hallway.
“We can’t push back the release date, why can’t she make it?”
Lilith listened for a moment then one eyebrow rose up. “Arrested?”
She listened more. “Drunken disorderly?”
Then both brows rose. “Indecent exposure?”
“IN THE WHERE!”
Lilith took in a deep breath causing her amble bosom to rise nearly popping a button on her blouse before letting out an exasperated sigh. “What?
“No, don’t bother. I’ll try and find a replacement myself.” She then cut the connection. It can’t be helped, she needed to find a suitable replacement soon. There was someone she knew who could fit the bill. She’d just have to talk her into…..
A sudden movement caught Lilith’s attention. Turning she sighted a shadowy form dart up a stairway. Immediately suspicious she followed. If it’s that idiot from Hollywood again….
With a look of determination Lilith sauntered up the stairs then into her main office ready for anything. As she moved past the board meeting table she at last caught sight of the intruder standing near her desk. “Alright you!” she declared. “You’re about to find out just how bad a mistake it was to break into my home!” she then held out her hands and an arc of electricity erupted from them.
Leaping out of the shadows a panicking Spectre frantically waved his hands. “No! Wait! Time out! I come in peace! I come in peace!”
Lilith glared at him for a moment before dispelling the bolts. “I thought Robin wore red.”
“Robin wished he was me.” Spectre boasted.
“You better start explaining yourself junior.” she demanded.
“I’m here to talk to you Lilith Morgan,” Spectre then smiled slyly. “Or shall I say Morgana Le Fay.
Morgana froze for a moment then raised an eyebrow. “Exactly how did you know that?”
“Through a mutual acquaintance.”
Morgana let out an annoyed sigh. “You mean Traci. You look like someone she’d hang out with.”
“I’m here to ask if you know anything about Jeff the killer.”
Morgana’s brows knit for a moment. “The name’s familiar.”
“Here, let me show you.” Spectre moved to sit at Morgana’s desk and accessed her laptop. “Check it out.”
“Out of my chair short pants.” Morgana demanded as she moved to her desk. Looking at her computer her eyes widened in surprise. “Hey! How’d you get past my firewall and password?”
“Heyooo!” Came a voice. Spectre then held up his wrist communicator showing Tara’s grinning face. “Hacking into your system wasn’t that hard. Hey, how much of that rack came through magic?”
“None of it!” Morganna snapped. She glowered at the screen for a moment then turned to her computer and read the data of Jeff the killer. “Hmmm, sound like this is some pathetic loser who’s mommy never breastfed. Why should it be of interest to me?”
Spectre’s face took on a grim expression. “Well, that pathetic loser nearly took Traci out! She’s in the hospital right now.”
“WHAT!” Morgana looked up at him in shock.
“And unfortunately she doesn’t know any healing magic.”
Morgana let out another sigh and leaned back in her chair. “I always told her she needed to learn that. But no! She preferred to just learn flashy attack spells.”
“Do you know any healing magic?”
“Of course I do.” She waved off.
“Awesome! You can fix her up good as new then!”
“I won’t be doing that.”
“W-what?” Spectre stared at her in disbelief. “Why won’t you? Isn’t Traci your descendent? Your last living relative? The heir to your legacy? Don’t you even care she’s nearly been the victim of a serial killer?”
“It’s not about caring, pimples.” She argued. “It’s about being pragmatic.”
“Pragm….”
“By now too many people know about Traci’s injuries, her father, the police, the doctors, the media. For her to miraculously recover would raise unwanted questions. If Traci’s injuries aren’t life threatening it’s best to just let her heal naturally. And if that means she’s out of action, well, tough.”
Spectre opened his mouth to further argue but realized Morgana was right. “I guess you got a point. I’ll be going now.” He then moved to open the window and swing out.
“We’re on the top floor of the tallest building on the west coast,” Morgana admonished. “You really want to go out that way?”
Spectre stood frozen at the window as a cold sweat came over him. He then looked back at her with a sheepish expression. “Um, can I use your elevator?”
“Some superhero you are. come back when they drop.”

02

James Jordan yawned as he stepped out onto the balcony of the apartment to look out on the beach that spread out in both directions. It was quite fortuitous getting a vacation to Los Angeles while housesitting for an old friend of his dad who was on vacation to Paris. Scanning about he spied what looked like a girl with wings on the sidewalk. There must be a cosplay show nearby he guessed.
James ventured back in just as he heard the ring of his communicator. He answered it to see on the screen his friend Tara. “Heyooo Jimmy! How’re things on the west coast?”
“Still a little jetlagged.” he replied, stifling another yawn.
“I take it you’re prepared for trouble?”
“You betcha.” James smiled as he showed her the case with his Spectre gear. “And believe me it wasn’t easy bringing this stuff without my folks finding it.”
“I can imagine.”
“Well, if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna chill out with some Splinter Cell.” James then plopped down in front of the TV.
“Hey wait!” Tara called out.
“What?” Replied an annoyed James.
“I just saw a news report on the web of some incident.” She answered.
“Not interested.”
“But while reading it a name stood out. And if it’s the same person it’s someone you know.”
“What name is that?” James raised an eybrow.
“Traci Hogan.”
“WHAT!” anxious James read the report Tara relayed to him with growing shock. It was definitely her, Traci, AKA Rave the awesome magic hero girl, whome he had teamed up with in the past. “I gotta go see her!”
Quickly donning his costume Spectre then leaped out the window and ran with purpose down the street. “Hey, Jimmy, you know where the hospital is?”
Coming to a screeching halt Spectre looked about. “Um, no.”

A short while later Tara led Spectre to a garage belonging to her uncle. There he found a sleek new version of his Spectrekart. There should be one of these in every city he thought. Now ready with proper transport and directions Spectre raced to the hospital Traci was in. Upon arrival he fired a grappling hook to the top floor and scaled the building taking care not to look down. Stopping at the window to Traci’s room he peered inside sighting her lying in bed with her shoulder bandaged. Standing beside the bed were two adults who Spectre guessed were her dad and his partner. Traci wasn’t kidding when she said he looked like Chuck Norris.
“So then the incendiary device the attacker had accidentally went off and drove him off.” Traci’s Dad said.
“Yeah, that’s what happened.” Traci replied. She didn’t feel right about lying to her dad but knowing his very negative stance on superheroes the truth would get her grounded til she was eighty.
With her arms folded Summer let out a sigh. “The killer must’ve realized you saw him. That’s why he came back, he wanted to silence a witness.”
Traci’s dad let out a sigh of his own. “Why didn’t you tell me you saw something?” He asked.
“You told me to go to school.” She sheepishly replied.
“Don’t put this back on me young lady!” he admonished. “If you had only told me I could have taken better steps to protect you.”
Traci sheepishly sank down into the bed. “You’ll catch this creep, right?”
Her dad let out another sigh. “Unfortunately I’m too close to the case now and the brass has pulled me off. But on the upside it frees me up to concentrate on better keeping you safe.”
“But don’t worry,” Summer started. “I’m still on the case. We’ll get him. Hurt the family of one cop and we all bleed blue.” Traci felt reassured by that statement.”
Traci’s dad then patted her gently on the forehead. “You get some rest now.” He then turned out the light as the two detectives then left the room. With them gone Spectre quietly opened the window and slipped inside.
Startled Traci let out a yelp and tried to raise her hand to conjure a fireball only to falter from the pain. “Wait! Time out! Friendly! Friendly!” Spectre waived frantically.
“Jordan?” cried Traci surprised to see him. “W-what are you doing in L.A.?”
“Family vacation.” Spectre started. “But then I heard about you and had to come. I still can’t believe you tangled with a real psycho serial killer.”
“Uh, yeah, but he soon learned how bad a mistake that was. I roasted his sorry keister with a fireball! That creep didn’t know what hit him!” Traci laughed nervously trying to hide behind bravado.
“Well he might still come back.” Spectre declared. “We should team up and go after him.”
Upon hearing that Traci sank down under her covers. “I’m hurt.”
“Well don’t you know any healing magic? I thought you were a sorceress.”
“No, I don’t know any healing magic!” she snapped back.
“What magic user doesn’t know healing spells?” came a disembodied voice. “That’s standard RPG there!”
“Who said that?” Traci cried.
Just then Spectre held up his wrist communicator showing Tara’s grinning face. “Heyooo!”
“Well I don’t!” Traci huffed.
“Well there has to be something we can do.” Spectre said. The teen stood there for a moment scratching his chin. Suddenly his face lit up with inspiration and he gave a huge grin. “I bet I know someone who does know healing magic!”
Traci grimaced as a realization hit her. “OH NO! You don’t mean…..”

01

Los Angeles, late night. While much of the city still stirred with activity in more quiet neighborhoods things were much more tranquil. And in her bedroom Traci Hogan, AKA Rave the awesome magic hero girl blissfully snoozed away.
Suddenly what sounded like a shriek jolted the teen awake. Bolting up Traci looked about her room. “W-what was that?” she asked aloud. Then peering out a window Traci spotted a feint light coming from the window across the street. Climbing out of bed she tiptoed to the window. “Hmmm, what’s that?”
After a few moments the light dimmed and faded away and all seemed quiet. “Must’ve been someone watching a scary movie.” Traci muttered. Letting out a yawn Traci turned back to bed.
Just then a cold shiver ran down Traci’s back. Jerking around she peered back out the window and caught sight of movement in the bushes. She blinked then looked again.
Nothing.
Traci shook her head. It was probably just a dog she thought to herself. She then returned to bed. But she couldn’t shake that uneasy feeling nor could she get much sleep.
The morning came and Traci still felt tired having not gotten much sleep. That uneasy feeling continued to linger as well. Why? She wondered. Traci was a superhero for crying out loud. She’s taken on super villains and monsters. She shouldn’t be shaken by mere shadows. Yawning Traci entered the kitchen expecting to find her dad making breakfast.
But only to find it empty. “Dad? Hey Dad.” She called out. But no response. He must have been called in she guessed. Being an LAPD detective Traci’s dad would often be called to a case in the late hours. Grabbing a donut and some milk from the fridge Traci picked up her school bag and stepped out the door.
And was met with a street full of police activity.
Confused Traci wandered over and to her surprise found yellow tape strung around the house she saw the lights in the night before. It was then she at last spotted her dad standing amid the throngs of police giving orders clearly in charge of the situation. And next to him stood his partner Detective Summer Storm, her long blonde hair standing out amidst the uniformed officers. Traci always did find her really cool, a crime fighting role model.
Running up to the tape perimeter Traci called out. “Hey Dad! What’s up?”
Traci’s dad turned and looked at her with a stern and determined expression. “Go to school, Traci.” He ordered.
“Uh, dad? What…?”
“I said go to school!” swallowing nervously Traci obeyed her dad and set off in the direction of her school.
“A little harsh, weren’t you, partner?” asked Summer.
“She didn’t need to be here to see any of this.” He replied letting out a sigh. “This isn’t the way I wanted to start off the morning. I go out to get the paper and notice a trail of blood drops leading to this house. And then, the carnage inside.”
“You heard nothing last night?”
“Nothing.” He let out another sigh. “A grisly murder happening next door and I slept through it. Some detective I am.”
“You’re only human.” She assured him. The two then watched as a full body bag was wheeled from the house.

Later that day at school Traci sat at the lunch table chatting with her friend Gizmo and zoning out over the teen genius’ latest invention. “Hey, Traci,” Gizmo started. “What do you know about the incident on your street last night?”
“Um, well,” Traci replied. “I woke up and found the place covered in cops. But my dad didn’t say what was going on and he told me to come to school.”
Gizmo’s eyes widened in surprise. “You mean you don’t know?” quickly she grabbed her smartphone and called up an internet news report. Traci’s face grew progressively more aghast at the details her dad clearly didn’t want her to know. Of the hideous wounds inflicted on the victim, of the phrase “go to sleep” scrawled on the wall in blood. And of the suspect in the crime identified as the notorious serial killer known as Jeff the killer.
A cold chill ran through Traci as she realized the shadow she saw last night may not have been a dog after all.

On her way home Traci couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. Super powered criminals and monsters were one thing but the thought of taking on a knife maniac swinging maniac was another. Well, crazy or not they were still muggles, no match for someone versed in the mystical arts no matter how nuts they were.
Suddenly Traci felt a shiver. She couldn’t shake the feeling she was being followed. Picking up her pace Traci ducked into an alley. With no witnesses she cast a levitation spell and flew up to land on a rooftop. From her vantage point she scanned around to see if anyone suspicious was around. Seeing nobody Traci let out a sigh of relief. It must be the news stories making her paranoid.

Later that night Traci lay in her bed. Her dad had assured her the culprit was unlikely to return but told her to lock the windows anyway to be safe. Traci’s attempt to get some sleep was hampered by worry the killer really would come back. Images flashed in her head of confronting the killer, of him realizing how bad a mistake he made as she blasted him with a few bolt shockers and solar lances. The thought gave Traci comfort enough to curl up more relaxed and she closed her eyes.
And they snapped open at the sound of her closet door opening. Traci’s eyes went wide as saucers at the sight of an intruder standing in the closet. The figure had a ghastly appearance, with stringy black hair, seemingly lidless eyes and a hideous grin. It must be him, Jeff the killer! Then he spoke in a low whisper. “Go…. To… sleep…..”
And before Traci could react the maniac dashed across the room leaping onto the bed, his horrid face mere inches from hers. In an instant a knife flashed and Traci screamed as it sliced into her right shoulder sending blood flying.
The maniac raised the knife to again slash at his would-be victim. In a move of desperation Traci raised her left hand. The maniac glanced down and looked in awe as she conjured a ball of fire and then launched it into the killers chest sending him flying back burning into the closet. Shrieking in pain the maniac rose to dive out through the window, clearly taken by surprise at meeting someone capable of putting up such a powerful defense.
“TRACI!!!” her dad yelled out as he burst into the room. He looked on for a moment in shock at the flames before running out briefly and returning with a fire extinguisher. Once the fire had been quenched he turned his attention to his daughter who lay on the bed clutching her wounded shoulder with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Quickly scooping Traci up Mr. Hogan carried her downstairs to call 911.