After The Storm: NonPlayerCharacters Introductions: Mannequin
Originally posted on IC thread, page 17 post 165
The previous night
Hurrying out of the office building, Colleen Duquesne checked her watch. "Is it that late already? Damn overtime, now I missed the bus. I so miss my cell phone... Should I go back and use the office phone to call a taxi." She thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Oh well. The subway station is just a short walk away. If there isn't a taxi there, there are at least payphones."
Colleen set off towards the subway station. She was about half way there when suddenly she found her way blocked by four young men who appeared from an alley.
"Out for a walk this late?" a red haired man at the front of the group asked. "Don't you know this neighborhood is dangerous?"
"We could escort you if you make it worth our while," The man behind him said.
"Thanks, but I think I can manage," Colleen said warily. Then there was a clicking sound and a blade appeared in the redhead's hand.
"What my friend meant is that if you hand over your wallet, you won't get hurt," the red haired man said.
"We might even frisk you to see what other goods you are carrying," the other man added.
Colleen reached into her handbag. But when she pulled her hand out, it was not holding a wallet but a can of spray. "Back off!" she stated, pointing the spray towards the men. "I have mace!"
The men just laughed. "Suppose you manage to mace one of us," the redhead said. "Then what? There would still be three of us and one of you."
"Two," a voice said.
Colleen looked over her shoulder. There was another woman standing a short way behind her, dressed in jeans and a red hoodie, her face hidden by the hood. Colleen had not noticed the other woman arrive. Neither had the men, apparently, for they were momentarily surprised. Then the redhead grinned. "Well miss, if you want to join the action, that's just fine by us." Turning to look at his friends, he said: "Two girls and four boys. Looks like we are going to have a party."
The moment the redhead turned, the woman in a hoodie shot forward. She rushed at the men, leapt high, kicked herself off from a wall and flew at the foremost man swinging her leg. The redhead barely had time to turn his head back towards the women when her foot impacted with the man's lower face with a sickening crunch of a dislocated jaw. The redhead made a short pirouette and fell on the street unconscious.
The three other men stood dumbfounded for a moment as the hooded woman landed gracefully in front of them. Then one of the men yelled: "Bitch!" and punched her. The woman counterpunched. Her fist impacted with the man's fist straight on, and there was another crunch as the man's knuckles broke. Screaming, the man fell on his knees, holding his broken hand.
The remaining two men leapt at the woman, fists swinging. She deftly sidestepped the first man's swing, but the other man's fist impacted with her face. The impact did not seem to faze her in the slightest, but her hood fell from her head. Colleen gasped. So did the men.
The woman's face was expressionless and doll-like, with a texture that looked more like plastic than skin. Even her blonde hair had a shiny, artificial look. And the gaze in her unblinking blue eyes seemed empty.
For a moment, the men froze in shock. The woman didn't. She punched one of the men on the mouth and he dropped down whimpering and spitting teeth. The other man turned to run but the woman reached out and effortlessly pulled him back. Turning the man to face herself, she closed her hand around his throat and brought her expressionless face within an inch of his, staring at the man with her unblinking eyes.
"W- What are you?" the man asked in a strangled voice.
"Maybe I am a mannequin that came to life," the woman answered in a cold, emotionless voice. The man pissed his pants.
The woman’s face twisted into a grin. In Colleen’s mind that made her even more terrifying for the grin did not seem to reach her empty, unblinking eyes. However, when the woman spoke it was in a much more lively voice. "You appear to have developed a leak. Well, potty time over. Nappy time starting." Her grip around the man's throat tightened. He made a choking sound, then his eyes rolled over and he fainted, the woman letting him drop on the street.
Colleen took a step backwards, but the other woman said: "You do not need to fear me," replacing her hood. "The station is right at the end of the street," the woman continued. "You will be safe among the people there. Go there and call the police. I will watch over these men until they arrive."
Colleen took off at a run, leaving the hooded woman standing a silent watch over the men.
Colleen was sitting on a bench outside the subway station, shaking. Two taxi drivers were keeping watch over her. Then a patrol car arrived and two police officers got out. "Ma'am? Are you the one who called us?" one of them asked.
Colleen nodded.
"She is pretty shaken," One of the drivers said. "Did you get the assholes who jumped her?"
"We have them in custody," the officer said.
Colleen managed a smile at the drivers. "Thank you for keeping me company. I think I will be fine now that the police are here. No need for you to lose fares over me."
"It was no problem," one of the drivers said. "Been a quiet night anyway."
"Take care," the other driver said.
As the taxi drivers headed back to their cars, Colleen turned to the officers. "Did you find the other woman? The one who rescued me?"
"No sign of her," one of the officers replied. "She must have taken off when she heard the sirens approaching."
"Did you get a look at her?" The other officer asked.
"I will never forget that face," Colleen said. "She looked like a-" she laughed nervously. "She even called herself that."
"What did she call herself?" One officer asked.
"Mannequin. She called herself Mannequin."
