Downtown in Hopper City, tucked away down the side of a cramped little street, down a cramped little alley, and up a cramped little flight of stairs, was a door, with a little bronze plaque. The plaque read, “Cassidy Investigations” engraved, below was an eye the symbol of the hero who worked there.
Inside the office, a woman was sitting at a cheap-looking wooden desk, the only furniture in the apartment, save for the potted plant beside the door, and the coat rack beside it. On which hung a white trench coat and fedora.
At the desk, Nora Cassidy leaned back in her chair, talking animatedly into a phone. “No, this is serious!” Nora yelled into the phone. “Marco! I placed this order ages ago! It should have been ready long before now!”
“Please, Nora, honey.” Marco drawled “I thought you knew better than to rush me on a project like this.” Nora kneaded at her brow, already feeling a headache starting to form.
“Of course I know that Marco.” Nora sighed, “That’s why I sent in the order in January!” The line was silent for a moment. “And?” Marco asked
“Marco, it’s August.” Nora said. “What are you talking about? I sent the request half a year ago!” Nora could almost hear the sound of Marco’s brain processing the new information.
“When do you need the bag again?” He finally asked. “Today Marco!” Nora was practically screaming. “I need it today!”
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“Fine, fine, I suppose the bag is serviceable enough in its current state. Not so bad that you would be embarrassed giving it to Layla.” Marco replied, unfazed. “Where should I have the bag sent?”
Nora’s relief was palpable. “Thank you Marco, I’m sure she’ll love it anyway. Just have it sent to the corner of Oak street and Hazel, by the park entrance.”
“Oh the park, what a beautiful venue. Of course, I’ll send a drone.” Marco replied “Give Layla and Nathan my best, I must have lost my invitation, so I’m afraid I won’t be attending. Tell Logan I said hello as well. Au revoir!”
The line went dead, and Nora sank low in her seat. “Thank god, that’s over with.” She muttered, lost in thought. “What else did I have to do today?”
She sat up in her chair and pulled out the memo pad and pencil she kept in her desk drawer. The blindfold blocked out her real sight, but it’s more, special properties, let her ‘read’ the built up graphite from her pencil on the paper.
It had been hard to get used to, ever since she first got the blindfold. To not see the world with her own eyes, but the eyes of Argus. She was ‘aware’ of nearly everything in a certain area around herself, but her real vision was obscured, her eyes covered by the same cloth that gave her her powers.
Part of the deal with wearing the blindfold, was she couldn’t take it off. Nora could only see the shapes of things, and no colors, it felt… detached, like seeing people from a hundred feet in the air.
Most days she didn’t regret putting it on. With the powers it gave her she had helped so many people. So many villains had been stopped before their plans could even begin, but sometimes… Nora sighed and got up from her desk. She put on her coat and hat and strode out the front door of her office, ready to face the chaos of Hopper City.
Nora wasn’t going to let anything keep her down today. She stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk, walking down the avenue towards the park, just taking in the occasion. The air was crisp and clear, just the right amount of warm, and she had the perfect gift for her friend’s special day.
It was the perfect day for a wedding.