[LNH/ACRA] Adventures Beyond Comprehension #6

[cabbagewielder at yahoo.com]

	Doctor Kendall Colm in:
	Adventures Beyond Comprehension #6
	Delilah, Deliah
	A Killfile Wars Epilogue
	By Jesse N. Willey

	The phone rang.

	It's these all too common three A.M. calls that makes me wonder why
I got into the mental health profession.    Especially since the calls
are always the same.  Either some patient was going to commit suicide,
has committed suicide, tried to kill someone or committed murder.

	That was before I transferred over to patients out of the mainstream.
 Frankly, I thought being a shrink to capes and underwear crowd
wouldn't be that bad.   On the surface they seem a bit neurotic but
nobody could be that bad.

	Of course, at that point I'd never had to deal with man who tried to
empty an entire drum of bullets into himself only to have himself
remember that he's invulnerable.   Then there was the time I worked
with a famous super hero couple.   Can't name names-but the spark
had gone out of their relationship.   The wife said he wasn't
anything like the young man she fell in love with.   Get this-due to
some weird time anomaly she left him for his younger self.    Then her
past self revealed some weird thing for emotionally distant older men
and ran off with the husband.

	After all these years, I don't know if I really understand them.  I
just understand them better than any other outsider with a license to
practice psychiatry.

	"Doctor Kendall Colm?"
	"Yes."
	"Special Agent Williams, FBI.   There has been an incident a former
patient of yours.   One Deliah Killfile,"
	"I'm sorry... but whatever information I may have is
privileged," I said.
	"Deliah Killfile is dead.   We're looking into a missing
person's case.   One Lazlo Peter Killfile," Williams said.

	Then there are cases like that.   I used to work at a home for sexual
assault victims.  It was only after having a few patients with super
powers that I transferred over to this profession.   Deliah- as she
renamed herself- was always one of the most troubled patients I'd
ever had.  The fact that she survived as long as she did was a miracle.


	"She-she actually had other family?   Oh god... what have I
done..."
	"What?"
	"Nothing... I... uh... I'll get you those files tomorrow
afternoon.  I need time to redact out information related active supers
identities," I said.
	"Of course..."

	_______________________________________________________

	"Deliah-may I ask you why you changed your name?"
	"Um... My father," she said.
	"Doctor Killfile.  I figured as much.   But your name was originally
Delilah.   You took off two letters.   You don't think that would
fool anyone did you? Unless..."
	 "Unless what?"
	"Unless you didn't really want to disguise it."
	"What?  Why?"
	"In spite of all the progress we've made these past few months,
you still think you deserved what your father did to you.   Your new
identity of Deliah Joy Forge is so thinly disguised because part of you
wants that mark to show."
	"How dare you... I'm..."
	"What?  A Killfile?"
	"Um... no."
	"Have you been taking your meds?"
	"Yes..."
	"Are you sure?   Do you think we need to adjust the dosage?"
	"No... I'm fine."

	___________________________________________

	"I heard about your little trip yesterday.   Your sister, Carolyn
said you really helped convince her friend to come here," I said.
	"I-I didn't really do all that much.   I just told Boy Redundant
Lad about- about my progress here.   About how before I came here I
wanted to abduct my nephew-and now I'm working.  It's not a good
job exactly... but it is better than where I started.    I-I used to
think I couldn't talk to anyone.   Daddy-I mean Doctor
Killfile-used to beat me if I tried to escape.    Now I have lots of
friends.  Other people here... and I have the art and dance classes.
I always wanted to be a dancer... but the Doctor wouldn't let me,"
she said.
	"Yes... but you convinced him that he needed help.   That's a very
big step.  Remember when Carolyn did that for you?"
	"Yeah."
	"Remember how hard it was for you?"
	"Yes."
	"You should be proud of yourself.  He's going to need friends."
	"But-he's not like me.  He has friends.  Those real important
from the super hero group he's in---"
	"They don't understand what he's going through.  Not the way you
do.   Having friendships often makes a big difference in a patient's
recovery."
	"I understand."
	"I checked your schedule.   Do you need a meds refill?"
	"No."
	"You sure... I must have marked my schedule wrong."

	___________________________________________

	"Deliah... it's still Deliah right?"
	"I am my own woman."
	"What were you thinking?"
	"You were right."
	"What?"
	"I did want him to find me.  So I could prove to him that I was the
good daughter.  Of all his progeny I am the strongest.   I killed him.
Not permanently.  But he will remember it.   I beat him.   He will be
shamed... but he will respect me."
	"Do you know how crazy that sounds?"
	"Do you know how many shrinks have been to since I escaped?   Five.
Or was it six.   You're not that good Kendall."
	"Then why'd you ask to see me."
	"I wanted to know if you okayed this..."

	She held up arm and revealed a small and pale hand.

	"What... what happened?"
	"I lost this hand in the battle.  I didn't want to regrow it until
I crushed my sister.  When I was arrested... they kept me sedated.
It grew back," she said.
	"Damn it, Deliah-I'm a psychiatrist not general practice-I
don't do that kind of thing.  I'm not out to get you.   Why are you
so paranoid?"

	She smiled.

	"The meds.  How long?"
	"Quite awhile.   Since right after Rick arrived."
	"Damn it!" I said.  "Look, Deliah... I can't help you
anymore."

	________________________________________________________

	There was a knock at the door.   I stared through the peephole.   It
was Agent Williams.   I thought I'd seen the last of him after I gave
him the folder this morning.   I opened the door and he walked in.

	"Yes, Agent Williams?"
	"Everything seems to check out..." he said.
	"So you're here because..."
	"Prison records show that you saw Deliah two weeks before her prison
break.   We couldn't find the transcript," Williams said.

	I gulped down.

	"Look... you already said something about all this being your fault.
 What is this all about?" he said.
	"I-I tried to explain that not all of her family was evil.   Two
of her sisters, Carolyn and Brunhilde had both gone on to be heroes.
If she had a family reunion of sorts than maybe-maybe she would see
that," I said.
	"Only she found her brother and uncle.  Not your fault."
	"I- I didn't know.   I suggested it without even thinking
that-"
	"You didn't know."
	"People are dead."
	"It's not your fault."
	"I took an oath.   To first do not harm."
	"You were trying to help your patient.  You were being a good
doctor."
	"Try telling that to families of the victims."
	"You didn't know those people were out there.  You told her to
reach out to her family.  Completely by the book."
	"How long have you been an FBI agent," she asked.
	"Seven years."
	"And you're telling me you've never bent the rules."
	"That's different..."
	"I think some of my patients would disagree.   They see wrongs in
this world.   They put on a cape and tights, sometimes against local
laws, in order to make things right."
	"And isn't that the condition you try to treat?"
	"Maybe it shouldn't be..."

	He walked out the door.   I went the counter and picked up my
cellphone.   I typed in a number I hoped I'd never have to use.

	"Ashley.... Yeah... look... it's Kendall Colm.   Yes... we met at
the conference on super power individuals last year.   Yeah.... look...
I-I think I need to set up an appointment... no... no... I've had my
yearly turn on the couch.   It's-it's just that something has
happened.... Thanks.... I appreciate it..." I said.

		The End

______________________________________________________________________
Kendall Colm, Agent Williams, Screw You Over Lad and Rick Henkerton
created by Jesse N. Willey.  Deliah Joy Killfile and Ashley Variel
created by Tom Russell Jnr.  Doctor Killfile is public domain.
Brunhilde Killfile created by Arthur Spitzer.