Moon Girl 3: Guillotine

By Briony Rose Smith

The burning of a familiar building. The lockdown of Iwon Prison. The thief with the same Trick as Light Tiger. Six months have passed since the city was rampaged by mythical creatures. Dreda is doing her best to learn the skills that should have been her birthright and Tim has been adjusting to his new perspective on life. Meanwhile, the pieces have already started to move against them and danger lurks from the shadows, eyes on those closest to Dreda. She does everything to protect them but sometimes, the hero doesn't always win.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Briony Rose Smith
• Release date: Aug 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005826109

Briony Rose Smith

Hello!My name is Briony Rose Smith, Author of superhero's and hopefully other things in the future and will think of a better bio here in the future. It's all fun and games writing about fantasy but when it's me it's hard, ya know?

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Moon Girl 3:

Guillotine

Copyright 2021 Briony Rose Smith

Published by Briony Rose Smith at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright © 2021 Briony Rose Smith

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored, in any form or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Table of Contents

Prologue

1. The Fire

2. Even If I’m Human

3. Finally!

4. Lockdown

5. Undertaker Collects

6. News

7. An Idea

8. Choice

9. Product Power

10. Bootcamp

11. A Lesson In Magic

12. A Dead Body

13. Over-protective

14. Voices

15. Green Bottles

16. Tiger Brothers

17. Sanson

18. Anderson

19. The Calm

20. Demon and Dragon Moment

21. Lawful Break-in

22. HQ Defence

23. Lani’s Secrets

24. Galahad

Epilogue

A couple ran through the streets, breath short, hearts pounding. A panic out of place in the quiet residential area they were bolting through.

At the end of the street stood a mansion surrounded by grassland and a wall with a large iron gate. A middle-aged woman with red hair slammed her key into the lock of the gate, fumbled to turn it and crossed into the mansion grounds. A man with hair like little brown twigs rushed in behind her and didn’t slow down as he headed to the mansion door.

The woman locked the gate behind them then followed him as he jogged on the spot at the door, his sea-blue eyes darting round at every bit of movement.

His wife unlocked the front door as soon as she got there and the two crossed the thresh hold of the mansion, almost tripping each other up as they tried to rush in at the same time.

Kezia, quick. The man insisted unnecessarily, the woman already locking the door behind them.

At the click, relief washed over them. The man fell to the ground and the woman leant on the door as they tried to catch their breath.

Shit...Kezia. The man called.

Now, what? Her cold green eyes turned, glaring, but then they caught what her husband was trying to show her.

On the ground, smashed glass and a broken frame lay under one of their many photos.

Someone’s been here. He said what she was thinking.

How? She breathed, trying to ignore the panic, How? We warded this place up to the teeth.

Kezia moved and pulled away the door mat.

They look fine. She noted.

Symbols had been carved under the doormat, right into the polished wood floor. Then what looked like dried blood had been worked into the grooves.

Could have been a ghost. The man suggested warily.

Check. Kezia ordered.

He nodded and after putting the door mat back where they found it the two started to look around.

It could have only been a ghost. Spirits can get through wards. They usually didn't have to worry about that though, since there weren't many spirits who knew what was going on and those who did, didn’t have a reason to care. Most spirits just kept to themselves.

The only other thing that could have gotten through…was...a thought they didn’t want they think about.

They started with the door on the left of the entrance.

The large dining room on the other side was cold. Their eyes travelled up the large, oak table before they landed on the window. A small part, enough for someone to reach in and unlock it from the outside was broken. It wasn’t just the chilling breeze it let in that made their blood run cold.

How? How the hell can someone come in and not set off the wards without a key? The man stepped back.

His wife walked out, solemn eyes, You know there is only one way, one person who could have done this, Asher.

No…No. No. No. That’s worse…. She hates us. He shook his head, retreating out the room and closing the door behind him like that could somehow change the reality he faced.

Why do you think she broke the frame? Kezia gestured to it with a sad smile.

If it was her…I’m glad she’s okay but…god, Kez. She’s our daughter but I don’t think I could face her. The blue eyes he shared with his daughter struggled to keep back tears.

Hopefully we won’t have to. Kezia agreed, taking his hand, trying to offer him at least some comfort, For now we need to get that book.

Asher nodded, taking some deep breaths and wiping his eyes, You’re right. God knows when they’ll get here.

Kezia nodded, her face turning to stone as she led him upstairs. They went straight to the study, a dark square with a wall of books but she stopped when she got through.

Oh god, no. She tore in and her eyes scanned the wall of books, intently and methodically passing her gaze back and forth.

What? Wh-Asher followed her in but stopped when he saw it too.

Oh no…

It was gone. The book of curses they needed to set up a defence. The book they needed to survive the night.

Kez...what are we going to do? Asher asked as he wracked his brain.

His wife’s dark eyes looked to the ground as her fist’s tightened.

We’ll gather up what we can, She started to walk out, tense but head held high, We’ll just have to set up what we can from memory and pray.

And…what if that doesn’t work? He asked warily, even though he knew the answer.

Then Product Four is dead. And no matter what they do to us that’s all they will know.

The moon was full. The breeze brought a chill to the warm summer evening.

A black van's noisy diesel engine crept down a quiet city, through the intricately designed buildings of Iwon city's cultural centre. It took a left, then a right, then parked up at the place it needed to be. Iwon Museum of History.

Three people quietly disembarked from the van.

The masked figures in black snuck up the stairs to the main doors where they pulled out a keycard and an actual key. With a swipe of the card and a turn of the key, they were in without a sound.

Crossing the threshold onto the creaky wooden floors of the large stone building, they headed for the Victorian section, famous for its jewels from nobles and royals past.

They didn’t get very far though, because all of a sudden bright blue flood lights stung their eyes as a screeching bell attacked their ears.

Shit, who set off the alarm? One of them panicked as they all exchanged accusatory glances.

It doesn’t matter, Came their leader, the tallest black figure of the three, We'll get them and go before anyone turns up.

The other two nodded. From then on subtly was thrown out the window. They sprinted to the jewellery of the Victorian section. The leader heard one of his men stumble and turned to watch them get punched in the face and taken down.

Shit. He hissed, turned around and ran.

The woman in purple who had so easily taken down his first man took out his shocked second just as fast and with red hair swishing around her she took off after the leader.

The purple boots with galaxy designs were by no means slow but the leader was fast. Faster than a normal person should be. By the time the hero caught up with him he’d grabbed some jewels and thrown them into a bag already.

No Frigid Hack, today? He sneered, glaring at the hero that stood between him and his exit.

The masked black figure crouched ready and Moon Girl mimicked him.

No. She responded shortly, glaring through her goggles, a purple cloth mask hiding the rest of her face.

Good.

He set off at her like black lightning that she struggled to keep track of. Not that she needed to, she just had to block him, the door wasn’t large behind her so when he got close she was ready to throw out her arms.

But suddenly, almost as soon as she was going to act there was a blinding flash of blue light. Her senses were overloaded and her arms went in the wrong direction, to cover her eyes.

She felt the breeze on the part of her arm between her gloves and dress and cursed. It took a while for her sight to fully return but even before it did she knew she'd failed.

The room was empty when she managed to make it out again.

Her presents had saved some of the jewels but she had one less bad guy to give to the police and that left a bad taste in her mouth.

Well done, Moon Girl. She sighed to herself as she turned back.

She cuffed the two unconscious, abandoned henchmen and dragged them outside to be greeted by the always prompt arrival of the police and the press.

Good work, Moon Girl. The police praised as they took the two off her hands.

Dreda just gave them a nod then turned to the enviable onslaught. Cameras and microphones rushed up the stairs to meet her and as blinding as the lights of their cameras were, she was at least, a little less embarrassed than the first time she had to face them.

Sadly though, she had to do it alone.

Moon Girl!

Moon Girl! Reporters swarmed her.

What? She gave them permission to start bombarding her.

Moon Girl! How were you here so quickly? The police say the alarm was sounded minutes ago. One reporter asked and the others fell silent to hear her answer.

She nodded to the black van parked outside, Was on patrol and saw that.

Ooh, There was a bit of a buzz and the reporters scribbled something down.

You are usually with Frigid Hack. Why aren’t you anymore? Did you two have a fight? Not getting along? Another asked and Dreda rolled her eyes.

She would have wondered why her relationship with Tim was so interesting a while ago, but Selena showed her a bunch of hero fan sites. Apparently, the internet wanted to know everything and if they didn’t know it...they made it up…it was strange...

No, he was showing me the ropes. I’m solo now. Dreda responded somewhat amused at how disappointed they seemed at that answer.

So, you two are still friends. More than friends perhaps?

O-Of course not. We are comrades nothing more. Dreda stumbled over her words and Trish was going to kill her for it.

There were giggles from the reporters and Dreda knew she’d just set a fire for the internet following who thought her and Tim should be a couple.

Another reporter went to open their mouth but Dreda decided to cut and run before she made any more of a mess.

She turned away and started to walk, ignoring the calls from reporters behind her but she was forced to stop when she felt a vibration at her waist.

Her communicator. She pulled it out of its small pocket.

Moon Girl. She responded.

Moon, there is a fire in a residential area on the outskirts of the city. The fire department are struggling. Transport will be with you soon. She was told and almost as soon as the phone operator had finished their sentence one of the vans from HQ pulled up.

She was always impressed at how easy HQ made heroing. She put the small purple phone back into its pocket and ran from the press, sliding into the van.

She nodded to the driver and belted herself in as it pulled away. Dreda’s back hit the leather seat and she took a relaxing breath, it wasn’t often she got a chance to sit and relax while on patrol so she enjoyed the quiet moment. Her eyes unfocused out the window as street lamps flashed by.

Six months ago, the city had been in chaos for the second time in a month. Literally a few weeks after Apex Illusionist made a big dent in the city’s population by making everyone fall asleep, Product Two hatched his own plan. He used the power of a vulnerable and confused angel to force people to wake up to what they are. She didn’t know if he counted on people’s reactions or not but people went berserk. Their minds couldn’t take the sudden jump from thinking they were human to suddenly realising that was not the case.

The city had been overrun by people who realised what they were. They were causing damage and chaos but luckily, not too many had been hurt this time. Heroes made sure people were indoors and did their best to keep the creatures at bay. They even had help from Products Three, Five and Six, who they ‘accidently’ let get away after.

The city was convinced that it was the work of Apex again. It pissed Tim off but the whole thing was blamed on Apex Illusionist to quell panic. So that these mythical creatures stayed mythical in their eyes.

Most who transformed didn’t remember their ordeal either so, once it was over everything went back to normal with shocking speed.

And then things had been quiet for six months. Nothing but the odd minor crime around to be seen. No super villains had reared their head.

The Products hadn’t made a move and honestly, with Two gone and One in prison, Dreda didn’t think they would. Or at least...she prayed they wouldn’t. In the back of her mind, she hadn’t forgotten.

Two was killed by fairies…as silly as it sounded he was a demon killed by a fairy wielding a sniper rifle because he got too close to breaking the curse.

The Products wanted to break the curse but since there were butterfly winged assassins ready to take people out if they tried she hoped and prayed that they would keep heads down. She would never forget the image of Two’s frozen demonic head sliding away from the shattered remains of his body.

She was terrified of him, hated him but…he didn’t have to die…

Light assaulted her eyes and pulled her out of her musings. Dreda winced but when she got her vision back a blazing inferno stood down the street.

But that wasn’t all she noticed.

She’d seen this street before.

She’d seen these perfect gardens with their large family sized cars and abandoned footballs.

No way. She breathed.

The van pulled up and she saw a pair of iron gates, locked but a hole had been blasted in the wall next to it. A path lined with flowers led up to a dance of yellow and white that spat darkness into the sky.

This wasn’t just any house. It was a mansion she had been to twice.

It was her parent’s mansion.

She pulled back the door to the van with a quick ‘thanks for the lift.’ And bolted through the hole in the property’s outer wall.

Moon Girl! A fireman called her.

She looked at him to the mansion and back again before heading over to see what he wanted.

What happened? She asked.

I don’t know. He shook his head, We have reason to believe there are people inside but we don’t have enough of us to hold back the flame and look.

She nodded understanding.

I’ll take a look. She told him.

Be careful, Moon Girl. He nodded.

Dreda took a calming breath and turned to the building.

It didn’t matter who this building belonged to. It didn’t matter who she might find inside. She was a hero and she had to go in and help.

There wasn’t much she could do, but at least she could probably run in and have a quick look around. She stepped back from the flaming doorway enough for her to get a running start. She’d face enough fire in her life thanks to Fort that she knew if she was quick getting in and out then it shouldn’t hurt too much.

She bolted and jumped through the flames of the doorway skidding to a halt in the entrance way, which luckily wasn’t too bad.

The sudden heat was a shock to her system and her body broke out in sweat. She stayed still a moment trying to get used to it. A door and stairs to her left, two doors on the right but realistically she could only go forward because of the fire.

Hel- She went to call, but she heard a yell first.

She’s dead, we told you! Product Four is dead!

Dreda’s heart stopped. She choked on the shock and smoke but she clamped two hands to her mouth to suppress a cough.

It was them. She knew that voice. They were talking about her…it was her mother…

She ran towards it.

Mrs. Morgan. Came a voice Dreda didn’t recognise. It was a female voice, light and calm, We need you to come with us anyway but if you tell us your stay will be a lot more comfortable.

Dreda hid around the corner when she saw them through the flames. Her mother had her red hair. It was singed, like her skin and her lab coat but her green eyes stayed hard as she glared at the figure before her.

The flames obscured the figure too much for Dreda to be able to see but she could at least tell she was tall, thin.

She’s. Dead. Her mother hissed through her teeth.

The figure didn’t respond with words. Instead, it reached out its hand and took Kezia Morgan’s throat.

Then I must ask that you and your husband come with me. The figure requested politely but it was by no means optional.

It threw a kicking and screaming Kezia over its shoulder and bent down picking up someone Dreda hadn’t noticed.

Her father.

It lifted the unconscious form of Asher Morgan under its arm then from its back, springing into existence like they had suddenly been freed from straps to its back were a large pair of fairy wings.

Dreda was stunned. She was just watching her parents get kidnapped. She was sure she should move. Get off her ass, grab her parents from it so she could give them a piece of her mind for the shit they put her through but she couldn’t move. She was too shocked to move.

Her parents were there.

Right there.

She had spent nearly seven months now trying to find them with Tim and Clair and there they were and she just…she couldn’t process it. She should have saved them. She should have saved them even if it was to beat them up herself. She should have done it because that’s what heroes do but she just…couldn’t move.

The fairy had taken off into the night's sky, using the smoke as cover as it took them away.

It was far, far away by the time Dreda’s mind came back to her, by the time she remembered she was sitting in a burning building, by the time she realised her exposed skin was burning and she needed to get out.

With a bang, support beams were starting to fall and she tried to push away thoughts of what she just saw. If it wasn’t for her costume protecting her from the worst of the heat she wouldn't be able to leave so she couldn’t push it any longer. With gritted teeth, she ran out, fast so the flames didn’t have time to burn and skidded onto the wet grass. She hissed as the cold air stung her skin.

The parts that were exposed, her back, her shoulders and a bit of her legs hurt like hell. Luckily, there was an ambulance ready since they had expected her to come out with someone.

Numbly, she reported that the house had been empty, she couldn’t find anyone and she couldn’t stay in any longer to look more. The fireman thanked her for trying and did everything they could to put out the fire.

She was tended to by the ambulance staff, hissing as they slapped cream on her burns. It hurt like fuck and it served to fuel her own fire.

What the hell just happened? She just watched her parents claim she was dead then get taken by a fairy after refusing to say otherwise...she didn’t…she didn’t know what to think of that.

She wasn’t worried about them at least. She didn’t really care that her father had been unconscious and her mother had been burned. She was just mad at herself for not doing anything. She was a hero god damn it, and she just sat there and watched. If she had just moved then anger wouldn't be burning her chest. If she had just moved then she might not be so confused....

She might know if they really did think she was dead or if they were lying. And if they were lying, was it to protect her or to save their own skin...

Her head flopped back as the ambulance attendants told her to lay still as the ointment sank in. So she did. She did and tried to take a few calming breaths.

It was done. She hadn’t done all she could but it was done. There was nothing she could do about it now. There was