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Episode 5: The Long and the Short and Tall August 3rd. Brooklyn, New York. Benton’s Pharmacy. Diana looked unimpressed through the window of the sedan at the faded sign of Benton’s. “Just how many more of these dumps are you going to drag me to see? I already told you, I don’t know what made me say Benton.” Peggy opened the door and walked over to Jarvis in the driver’s seat with Angie sitting next to him. “You also don’t know how you are able to shoot a gun. At the moment, this is our only lead. Mr. Jarvis, you know the drill. Keep Miss Adams out of sight. Angie, stay with Mr. Jarvis.” Angie shot a salute with a grin. “Yes, ma’am.” Peggy turned and headed for the pharmacy. “Jervis,” Diana moaned. “I’m hungry. Do you think we could get something to eat?” “Our instructions our to wait for Miss Carter, and render assistance as it is needed,” Jarvis said, not turning to look at Diana. “But she’ll be fine! I need some food!” Angie turned around with a look of impatience. “Listen, lady! We’re all hungry! But if you walk out there, someone could see you and call the cops! So just sit there and be quiet!” Diana looked taken aback, then sat back in her seat. “Well put, Miss Martinelli,” said Jarvis approvingly. “Hey, it’s all in the projection. It’s acting thing.” The bell at the door of the pharmacy chimed as Peggy entered. There were no customers inside at the booths or the counter. Jean Benton stood wiping a glass with a towel before she noticed Peggy and set it aside. “Welcome to Benton’s Pharmacy, miss. How can I help you?” Peggy approached the counter and reached in her purse. “Good morning. My name is Peggy Carter. I’m wanting to speak with your husband about an urgent matter.” She pulled out a newspaper clipping with a picture of Diana Adams accepting a bouquet of flowers. “Have you ever seen this lady before? Perhaps she came here as a customer?” Jean Benton took the clipping at examined the picture carefully for a moment, then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t recall seeing her around here. Why? Is she in some sort of trouble?” The door to the backroom swung open and Dr. Benton hurried out. “Jean, I’ve been looking over our supply of penicillin. We might need a few more boxes in case of… oh! I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t know you were waiting on a customer.” “Robert,” Jean said in hushed tones. “She was asking for you. Something about a woman.” Dr. Benton looked uncomfortable at Peggy. “Well, miss, what exactly is this about?” Peggy showed him the clipping. “Dr. Benton, this woman. Have you seen her? Think carefully. It’s most important.” Dr. Benton squinted at the picture. “I don’t know. We do have a lot of customers come through here. Well, not today anyway. But what’s this all about?” Peggy put the clipping back in her purse. “Her name is Diana Adams. She has found herself in a rather difficult situation. She seems to believe you can help her.” Dr. Benton shook his head. “I’m sorry, miss. But I don’t even know any Diana Adams.” “Robert!” Jean interrupted. “Diana Adams! Isn’t that the name they said on the radio? The actress who went crazy?” “That’s what I’m trying to find out, Miss Benton,” Peggy said. Meanwhile, in the sedan, Diana sat up in the backseat and pointed at the window of the pharmacy. “That’s him! That’s Dr. Benton!” Angie looked back in frustration. “Are you sure? Oh wait. Don’t tell me. You don’t know.” “Don’t be ridiculous! I don’t know how but I’m sure of it! I know that man! I need to talk to him!” Before Jarvis could lock the doors, Diana had flung hers open and ran down the street to the pharmacy. “Does this happen a lot with you and Peggy?” asked Angie. “More than you realize,” said Jarvis as they jumped from the car in pursuit. “With all due respect, miss…” “Carter. Peggy Carter.” Dr. Benton nodded as he headed for the door. “I don’t have any interest in getting involved in something that isn’t my business. I don’t know this Adams woman and I’ve never seen…” The door banged open, the force nearly causing the bell to fly off it’s mounting. Diana entered the pharmacy with Jarvis and Angie behind her. She looked at Dr. Benton with the expression of a woman trying to put a name to a face. “Doctor? It is you, Dr. Benton?” “I’m sorry, Miss Carter,” said Jarvis. “She got away from us.” Jean Benton rushed to the phone. “I’m calling the police right now!” “Jean, wait!” shouted Dr. Benton, his eyes fixed on Diana. “But, Robert! She’s a criminal!” “Jean, please!” Dr. Benton looked intently at Diana. “Miss Adams? This seems most unusual, but… I have the strangest sensation I’ve met you somewhere before.” Diana nodded desperately. “Yes! Yes! I feel the same way! I know your name, your face! But I don’t remember meeting you! Please, you’ve got to help me!” Peggy stepped in between the two. “Dr. Benton, have you felt that sensation before? Perhaps memories you can’t quite place? Certain… skills you don’t remember learning?” Dr. Benton gave a worried glance to Jean then back to Peggy. “Can I trust you, Miss Carter?” Angie looked at Jarvis. “Just great. We found another one.” Soho, New York. Sky High Lounge. On the fifteenth floor of a skyscraper, the Sky High Lounge prided itself on serving the richest, most well-to-do clientele. Well-dressed couples chatted as they gave orders to waiters and ate their brunch. Suddenly the large, floor length windows exploded, sending glass flying toward screaming patrons. They ducked under tables and looked where the windows had been to behold the sight of a man in a silver suit, apparently standing as tall as the fifteenth floor. He held a gatling gun and motioned toward the guests. “Alright, ladies and gents! This is a stick up! Kindly hand your money and jewelry to your servers, and they will place them on the window sill. Anyone tries to be a hero, and you’re all dead!” Slowly, the helpless people did as they were bidden, and the pile of valuables was placed before Stilt Man. He let his gatling gun hang by the strap on his shoulder, then lifted up a device that resembled a vacuum cleaner attachment. The device sucked up the loot and deposited it in the canister on his back. He attached the device to his belt, then hoisted up the gatling gun at the terrified guests. “Pleasure doing business with you, folks! Hope you didn’t lose your appetites! Bye for now!” Stilt Man trod away from the building down the street, his metallic footsteps causing reverberations that could be felt for blocks. Suddenly, a boomerang collided with Stilt Man’s helmet. He looked up at the rooftops to see the Daredevil, catching the boomerang with ease. “What’s the big idea?!” Stilt Man yelled indignantly. “This is my score!” The Daredevil leapt off the rooftop and caught hold of Stilt-Man’s leg. Stilt-Man swung the gatling gun into position and aimed. “Get off!” He opened fire, forcing the Daredevil to leap away to avoid a hail of bullets. Benton’s Pharmacy. Dr. Benton sat slumped in a chair, Jean by his side. Peggy and Diana stood in front of the pair, while Jarvis and Angie looked on from the counter. “I have been experiencing some… unusual symptoms,” Dr. Benton said. “It started a couple of days ago. I was having these rather vivid dreams. Scenes of battle, chaos. I assumed it was just aftershocks from the war, but these seemed so real. Not just dreams, but… memories.” “Yes!” interrupted Diana. “Me too! I remember the same thing! See, Carter? I told you I wasn’t crazy!” Peggy held up a hand to silence Diana, then looked back to Dr. Benton. “Anything else you can remember?” Dr. Benton closed his eyes and winced. Jean took his hand comfortingly. “Robert, please. Talk to them.” Dr. Benton opened his eyes, then he got up from the chair and walked to the backroom. Jean looked back at Peggy. “I really hope this is all worth it. I really thought he was getting better. Adjusting to being back home. But now…” Peggy put her hand on Jean’s shoulder. “I assure you, Miss Benton. We are going to find out exactly what’s going on with Miss Adams and your husband.” Dr. Benton returned from the backroom carrying the white gift box. Diana gasped. “What are you doing with that? That looks like the box I got! The one I got delivered to me before I…” Her voice trailed off, as Dr. Benton lifted the lid to reveal the Black Terror costume. “This was delivered to the pharmacy before my nightmares returned. Then a group of racketeers came here to try to force us to pay up. I can’t explain what happened next. It was like I knew instinctively what to do, how to track them, how to fight them.” “Oh, Robert,” said Jean. “It’s alright, Jean,” Dr. Benton said. “But it appears Miss Adams and I have a similar problem. And we may not be the only ones.” “What do you mean?” asked Peggy. “Who else is there?” “While I was dealing with those hoodlums, I came across another gifted, masked individual. People have been spreading rumors of a ‘devil’ in Hell’s Kitchen. He certainly lives up to the name. He would have killed those criminals in cold blood if I hadn’t stopped him.” Suddenly the music on the radio was cut short. The radio announcer’s voice rang out. “We interrupt your music to bring this special police bulletin! Please stay clear of the Williamsburg area! Police say there is a criminal getaway in progress! That’s right! Multiple reports of some looney with a boomerang fighting some hold up man on stilts! Just another day in New York, eh, folks? Well, either way, don’t go there to gawk. Please stay at home until the police give the all clear! We now return to your regular scheduled music entertainment!” The music came back on and Dr. Benton spun to face. “It’s him! I need to stop him!’ “You’re not going anywhere, Robert!” Jean said. “I must agree with your wife, Dr. Benton,” said Peggy. “It’s too dangerous.” “Don’t you understand?” Dr. Benton snapped. “He will pursue that man until he kills him! And he won’t care who gets hurt until he completes his objective!” “And what is his objective, doctor?” Peggy asked sternly. “What else are you not telling me?” Dr. Benton tried to gather his composure. “I don’t know. Honestly. But I can help. I can make sure that whoever he is chasing can be brought in safely. Please. I might not know where my abilities came from, but I can still use them!” Peggy looked at Jarvis and Angie, then back toward Jean Benton. Jean sighed, and hugged her husband. “You promise me you’ll come home.” Dr. Benton returned her embrace. “I promise.” Jean looked to Peggy. “And you make sure he’s alright?” “You have my word, Miss Benton.” “And I’m coming too!” said Diana. “No!” Peggy said firmly. “You’ll stay right here with Angie and Mr. Jarvis. You say you’re an actress? Take that as your direction. Is that clear?” Diana sat in a booth and pouted. “And you be careful as well, Miss Carter,” said Mr. Jarvis. “Whenever possible, Mr. Jarvis.” OK: Black Terror wins by capturing Stilt Man. Daredevil wins by killing Stilt Man. Stilt Man wins by evading both heroes. Peggy will be there to lend assistance to Black Terror. Can our heroes stop Stilt Man? Stay Tuned and find out! Game On!