Full Novel Synopsis: Sequel to 'The Spiralling', itself a sequel to the Kick-Ass (2010) movie. However, this novel can be read on its own. After Big Daddy died, Mindy was driven mad, subdued by Dave, and locked away in an Institute after killing all who she deemed responsible but Dave. Will she recover? What will happen next to a New York without her nor the Motherfucker? Elements of the Kick-Ass 2 (2013) movie and comic series will be taken in.
The Descent
Chapter 7: A Bitter Taste Part 2
Later…
The house was deathly silent when we got back from our shopping trip. Dad was supposed to be there, but I couldn’t hear anything from the sidewalk. Opening the boot of the cab, I helped Mindy with her shopping bags. Clothes, not to mention I bought for her this huge teddy bear named ‘Big Teddy’ who was almost her size but wider and it was black with a yellow ribbon around its neck. Out of the many toys available at Toys R’ Us, she’d picked this particular teddy bear. It looked familiar somehow. She insisted on carrying Big Teddy on her own, so I was stuck with her shopping bags.
I struggled to open the front door with my keys while Mindy was similarly struggling up the stairs to the front door. When I finally got it open, I made way for her to enter first. The living room was suitably dark, just as it was all planned. “Be careful Mandy, you might hit someone.” I said as I locked the front door. It was all going according to plan…
“Who?” As expected, she asked confusingly as she squinted her eyes, almost seeing something over the shoulder of Big Teddy… which was when I switched on the lights, revealing what was ahead of her.
“Surprise!” A cacophony of voices shouted. Mindy let her Big Teddy slip and fall on its bum, a look of utter surprise and some shock on her face. A smile came on slowly soon after.
My best friends Todd and Marty was there, flanking my father. Pete, Mindy’s solitary friend in school, was flanking him the other way, standing beside Dr Paul, who arrived earlier than expected. The coffee table was stacked with presents packed in wrappers of varying shades of blue. A similarly coloured cake with 11 candles sat next to the presents, but the candles were small, their blades of flame peaceful and fragile – something most of us hope Mindy would be. Well, maybe not that fragile.
“Happy belated birthday, Mandy!” Dad shouted, his voice more reserved than anything. Everything went according to plan. There were streamers and balloons near the ceiling. The kitchen table was stocked with food and drinks. Soon, we were singing the birthday song to her, and watching her unwrapping her presents while everyone else was either egging her on or taking pictures. With the way Mindy lived back in the day when she was Hit-Girl, this would not have been possible – Mindy had never been to school until after Marcus took responsibility of her, and Big Daddy didn’t look like the next door neighbour type. No matter how much I wished Mindy had her identity intact without her Dark Phoenix half lurking somewhere in her mind, I was glad she got to enjoy the traditional birthday party.
Todd and Marty were able to pool together some dough – they’d bought her a few collections of the latest pop songs. Justin Bieber, Lady GaGa, Union J, Rihanna, you name it. Pete got her a toy car despite my instructions to get her something exclusively for girls, but it was fair enough. At least it wasn’t a model M16 or something. Dad bought her a necklace. Silver chains and a heart. Mindy loved it especially. She was absolutely ecstatic when dad helped her put it on. It was the same look as that time when she was taking down Rasul and his fellow drug dealers, the same ecstatic look when we first met…
“Here Mandy, you’ve more than earned your happiness, your bliss, sweet child.” Dr Paul said as he was handing his contribution to Mindy, a thin box wrapper in yellow. Mindy flashed a quick smile before unwrapping it meticulously, as she usually does. She didn’t like to tear the wrappers like many kids do. It could have been part of the doctor’s treatment. Opening the box and pulling out the carrier, she realised that it was a watch with a golden frame with yellow Spongebob Squarepants straps, “So you could tell the time, and be free from it.” I overheard him saying, though I’m unsure of what he meant by ‘it’ – was it time or her mental illnesses? When Mindy thanked him, he replied, “No, thank you, you can’t imagine how much you’ve helped me too.”
The doctor took up his cup of tea again. I waited for him to finish – my heart was pounding. I didn’t know what he was talking about – what did Mindy help him with? Now that I’ve become Kick-Ass again, my paranoia was stronger than ever. Can’t be helped. I pulled the doctor aside as soon as I was able, to express my concern, “Doc, what were you talking about back there?” Before he started explaining, he lead me back out to the porch again. I could sense that something was up.
“Mindy was – is an interesting case.” The doctor started, “She is a specimen like nothing I have ever seen before, a combination of accidents, circumstances, upbringing and intrinsic traits so astronomically rare that its effects were like nothing anyone has seen before. While I was treating her, I was chronicling my findings at the same time. I call it the ‘Demoness Complex’. Half the treatment package for it is under my name too. It might win me the Nobel prize.” I didn’t have a ready answer for that at the time. I was relieved at first, as I was worried he might be up to something… criminal, especially if it was related to the mob. Yet at the same time, what he did was a little too clandestine. Still, I’m putting it down to him just doing his job and me not watching him 24/7.
“Congratulations.” I said. It was all I could think of.
“Thank you, Dave.” He said appreciatively, though it was hard to tell as he was very formal, “Now, I’ve left more medicine in your cabinet. Expenses are still paid for by Aldan himself.” Dr Paul reminded me of the Grandmaster, that old man. Aldan Bonitus, the medieval arts schoolteacher and sword master who helped me subdue Mindy in her feral, insane Demoness Complex state. For almost a year now, we hadn’t stayed in contact. Now that I’m returning back on the street as Kick-Ass, I feel a sudden need to meet him again – who knows? He could still be out there in the streets, having decided to be a superhero himself. He certainly dressed, fought and acted like one, even if it was unintended. “And I noticed the kind of clothes you are allowing her to wear, Dave.” As she was unwrapping the presents, she was showing what I bought for her as well.
“Oh, that.” I remarked guiltily, I couldn’t help but to look elsewhere as a result, “It’s just one set, doctor.”
“Yes, it is. It’s a minor, minute thing. Just don’t graduate it into something bigger, such as, oh, say, letting her shoot a rifle in a gun range?” The doctor’s change in inflection was just as minute, but I understood just as much. He was a little cynical about my performance as Mindy’s adoptive brother. Actually, I was too, a little, myself, “Don’t compound it either. The effects of even negligible stimulants like these could be a problem if you introduce them too often.”
“Hey, alright, I got it.” My eyes were darting around a bit before I dare to look him in the eyes. I could tell that he wasn’t very impressed with me so far.
“This is serious, Dave. I’ve been observing her, and for now, Mindy is fine, in tip-top condition, but if that changes the next time I check, she might need another stay at Jameson. We can’t risk another massacre.” He continued, and I couldn’t help but to feel threatened and afraid for Mindy. A psychiatric hospital is no place for a kid, and Mindy had already spent a year inside. Another year would ruin her life, set her back too much. Then there was the experimental procedure the doctor developed – I doubt I could do this all over again if the doctor decides to hit the reset button in Mindy’s brain again. Already, I could feel myself splitting at the seams, manipulating and lying to Mindy all the time, even if it was all for a good cause. “Which is why I left some hypothermic needles and sedatives in the cabinet. If you suspect a relapse, I need you to inject her with it and call me down, do you understand?”
Everything Dr Paul said on the porch left a bitter taste in my mouth.
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