Amorkca

Those images look great - I look forward to seeing them all colored in!

That might also explain the giants' motivations (since, as @archer mentioned, they don't need human stuff in general, like orcs do). If the humans occupy the lands that the giants once held, then that means the ancient and sacred places of power for the giants, which might hold the keys to a return to dominance, are in human possession. Perhaps the giants have a leader who seeks to return them to prominence by retaking those places and reclaiming their lost secrets...

Locking the cabin door Tara and Trese walked off the porch and towards the parking area. There was a rustle from the woods and Trese went on alert, trying to see the source of the noise.
 
“Tara!”
 
“Jarrod?”
 
A young man with several day's growth covering his lower face, stepped out. Trese couldn't make out what he was wearing. She did see the shotgun held in his hands. Held entirely with the business end pointed too closely in her and Tara's direction.
 
“We need to talk!”
 
“Talk to my lawyer!” Tara's voice carried.
 
“You don't understand!”

Tara made to step past Trese. Trese put her arm in front of Tara. Tara stopped when Trese refused to move her arm. “I understand just fine. I had plans, Jarrod. Plans that your bullshit put an end to. I honestly don't know what I ever saw in you!”
 
“He's my son, too!”
 
“Then why don't you do anything to help take care of him?” Tara shouted. The shotgun shifted. The barrel pointing even closer towards them.
 
It seemed to Tara dark smoke blew between the three of them. Jarrod screamed. When the smoke cleared, Jarrod was laying on the ground. Al held Jarrod's shotgun, pointing it at him. “Hush, boy. You don't want to wake the dragon. Miss Gardner, are you okay?”
 
“We're fine, Al. Thanks,” Trese said.
 
“Why don't you two head back to the house.”
 
“Tara...”
 
Looking down at Jarrod, Tara said, “Anything you have to say to me goes through the lawyers.” She glanced at Al. “Just the driver, huh?” He quirked a smile at Tara.
 
“Come on, Tara. Let's go see what shenanigans Michael has the Guardians up to.” Trese led her up the drive.

Congratulations!  That's fantastic.  Lasting friendships are priceless.
 

My solution, as a GM, is to extend the spreading rules to HtH attacks. If you've got a punch that can do meaningful damage to the big bad, it should be able to do a pretty good job on three of their minions at -2DC. 
 
Balance-wise, I don't see a good justification for only allowing ranged attacks to be spread.

Some years back, I built a Dr. Mid-nite homage (martial arts, blackout grenades with Darkness, Personal Immunity, continuing charges that covered all sight and maybe a few other senses (IIRC, perhaps radar and maybe sonar as a sound baffle).
 
Another player had built a Cat Person with targeting smell.  The blackout grenades did not confuse the sense of smell...  The characters were designed independently, and it took a few scenarios before we realized the accidental synergy.

Tara opened the door. Al smiled at her. “That's a big box.”
 
Al stepped inside and set the box outside of the foyer without leaving it. He took off his coat and hung it up. His cap went on the same hook. He took off his shoes without being asked. “Where would you like it?” he asked, indicating the box.
 
“What is it?”
 
Al smiled again. “I have no idea.” His glasses came off and he slipped them into his breast pocket.
 
Tara looked over the box, shifting it from position to position to look at all sides. “It's for Michael.”
 
“Yes, ma'am.”
 
“Will you be joining the others in the dining room?” Tara asked.
 
“No, ma'am. That's not my business. If I may, could I use your television?”
 
Tara smiled. “Of course. Would you like some coffee? It's just about ready.”
 
“Please,” he answered with another smile.
 
Tara got the remote for the TV and switched it on. She handed it to him with a smile. Tara pushed the box with one hand towards the dining room. It wasn't heavy and she had to wonder what it was. “Michael, there's a box for you.”
 
“Coffee dinged, Gramma,” he said coming out of the kitchen.
 
“I'll get it, Mom,” Tara said.
 
Michael examined the box. “What is it?”
 
“You're going to have to open it to find out,” Gramma told him.
 
“Would you like some help?” Trese asked. Michael nodded. Mr. Abernathy passed Trese a pocket knife. Trese knelt down with Michael and pulled the blade out. She sliced through the packing tape, folded the knife back in, and helped Michael pull the box out of the carton.
 
“It's wrapped,” Michael said, stating the obvious.
 
“There's a card on it,” Tara said from the archway. She brought the coffee to the table.
 
“That's my name!” he exclaimed, pointing to the card.
 
Trese grinned. “Why, yes it is!”
 
Pulling the card off, Michael took it to his mother. Tara opened it. “For Michael,” she read. “An early Christmas present. Jason.” She handed the card back to Michael so he could look at it.
 
“Santa! And reindeer!” He set the card on the table and turned his attention to the present.
 
“So,” Trese asked, “are you going to be neat about it or...?” Michael slipped his hand inside a fold and ripped. “Guess not.”
 
“Mom!”
 
“I see!” Tara said. “It's the playset you wanted!”
 
“Yeah! The whole hideout!”
 
“I think it's a tower in the city,” Beth said. “They don't really hide out. Do they?”
 
“Can we put it together?”
 
Trese sat cross-legged. “Of course we can. Where do we start?”
 
* * * * *
Michael played with his figures in the new playset. “You're really good with kids,” Tara said. “Do you have any of your own?” Trese shook her head. “Little brothers or sisters?”
 
“I have an extended, rather dysfunctional family. Several close sisters, none of which are blood. Then there's Jason, Warren, Kate, but I claim her under the close sisters.” Tara grinned. “She's Warren's wife.”
 
“Where do I stand?” Beth asked.
 
“Currently, my trainer and slave driver.” Beth laughed. “She's family, too.”
 
Reaching over, Tara stood the box up. There was still a weight in it. “Michael, did you put something in this box?”
 
“No.”
 
“Well, there's still something in it. Come look.”
 
Michael came over and pulled the box down to look inside. “There's another present!” He wrestled the box over until the second present fell out. The wrapping didn't last as long as the first present. “Mom! It's all of them!”
 
“Let me see!” Michael brought the box to his mom. “You're right!”
 
“Can I play with them?” he asked.
 
“They are yours.” Tara peeled the tape off the flap. She pulled the plastic out of the box and looked over the figures.
 
“It's a factory set,” Trese said. “It has all the pieces from the collection in one place. Along with their accessories.” Tara began releasing the figures and setting them on the table where Michael could reach them.
 
“Which one is your favorite?” Trese asked the boy.
 
“This one! She looks like an angel!”
 
Trese smiled. “Yes, she does.”
 
“Jason said I could meet her!”
 
“He did?” Trese reached over and picked up the Psistorm figure. “What about this one?”
 
“All she does is make bubbles. I'm going to put her in the TV room.” Trese glowered. Beth covered her mouth to hide a grin and keep herself from laughing.
 
“That's not a TV,” Tara said. “It's a monitor.”
 
“Whatever.”

OHHH, I love this idea.  Much better than the undead Prof, or the cloned one.  This shows a level of manipulation that is truly Machiavellian.   Any hints to who his Super powered squad will be.  
 
Also I'd make the real Prof something like Prof. Prometheus from the Algernon Files.  Looks normal, Has all high tech nimiaturized devices all over him, and at least three contingency plans in place!  Just a suggestion!

I've been recuperating from a deck job for the last couple days, so have had time to sit down and write. Not quite enough along to show the work but getting there. Hero Designer is sure getting a work out! 
 
Terror Incorporated
 
Profesor Muerte, the renegade disciple of Doctor Destroyer founded his hybrid villain team/organization in the early 1980s. He'd strike seemingly at random, with agents in tow and causing terrible casualties before packing up. In truth his terror attacks were merely diversions so other agents could carry out bank heists, rob precious metal or gem exchanges and kidnap the wealthy to ransom without interference from law enforcement. On occasion, he'd raid corporate or governmental research labs to steal their secrets. Profesor Muerte soon branched out, networking with other criminal and terrorist organizations, becoming an instrumental middle man and outfitter. By the late 80s, he had well established himself and began experimenting with various techniques to develop super beings, resulting in creation of Gigante, Think Tank and several others. He also recruited the mercenary Feurermacher and former IRA terrorist Scorpia to his cause.
 
Through the 90s, Terror Inc kept relatively clear of superhero activity, crossing swords more with the likes of UNTIL, PRIMUS and other law enforcement agencies. Successful as they were, the group began to crack with the ambitious Scorpia wanting more from life than being Muerte's lackey and Feurermacher growing wearing of Muerte's failed promises to stabilize his condition. When the latest Gigante died in a confrontation with UNTIL, Scorpia, tired of the situation decided to contact Eurostar secretly and offer her services, which Fiacho immediate accepted. Scorpia easily convinced Feurmacher to join with her, and between the two they murdered Profesor Muerte and after taking what they could from Terror Inc's lair, blew it up and left to Europe.
 
The problem was, they did not kill the Profesor. The man who Scorpia and Feurmacher killed was in fact, Profesor Muerte's longstanding chief agent and body double. For years, he'd operated as Profesor Muerte's proxy in the field while the real Profesor Muerte kept entirely to the shadows. While Scorpia's betrayal stung, it was never unexpected that she'd turn on him. She and Feurmacher had never met or worked with the original Muerte. Hidden in his true lair, Profesor Muerte let Terror Inc seemingly crumble and take the pressure and heat that had built up against for two decades away. In truth, he purged and reforged his organization and simply picked up where the old group left off, establishing new fronts to provide the same services he always has. In the last decade, he has created a new squad of super agents and prepared for the eventual confrontation with Eurostar. He has sold them weapons and tech for their own efforts, building in the means to track and disable them when the time is right to attack.
 
Notes: Gigante, Terror Inc's brick was not a single person but a long succession of short lived constructs created by genetic alternations and surgical grafts that were always just called Gigante and looked identical. Because of the expense of their creation and their short life span, between two to four years each, Profesor Muerte only created one at a time and would replace them at need. Scorpia and Feurmacher never cottoned on because Gigante followed the orders of the (false) Profesor Muerte.
 
Profesor Muerte himself remains a budget version of Doctor Destroyer, with four major outposts across the world, eight more smaller hideouts and facilities, a small fleet of vehicles including a stealth airplane and transport submarine plus an agent corps of about 1,400.
 
Terror Incorporated super agents TBD.
 
Deathstroke
 
Another group of the 80s and 90s, Deathstroke fell apart when their plans for world domination, ended in complete failure and all but the founders and brothers, Requiem and Chiller were seemingly killed. The brothers were sent off to Stronghold and rotted there, failing to escape during either the major breakouts in late 90s and 2000s. That's when the super villain Think Tank came into their lives in 2015. The odd psychic/cybernetic villain had bounced across America for close to twenty years, serving as a freelancer for ARGENT, PSI and VIPER as well as groups like the Crusher Gang or the Ultimates until his capture by the Elite. Sent to Stronghold, it turned out that Think Tank had compromised the integrity of the facility years in advance and had secretly stockpiled the means to escape. While gathering and reassembling his scattered components, he was spotted by Requiem and Chiller and to keep their silence offered to take them with him. In the break out, Think Tank neutralized not only the power dampeners, security robots but also the hot sleep cells. The mass breakout of 2015 shattered Stronghold to it's foundation.
 
As promised, Think Tank took Requiem and Chiller with him, and the newly freed brothers pitched the idea of reforming Deathstroke. Not having anything better to do, Think Tank agreed but with the caveat that he'd have input on any new additions to the team. Their first recruits were the modern Blowtorch,
 
Notes:  The DuMorte brothers, Requiem and Chiller have hardened over their decades of imprisonment. 
 
Think Tank, was created by Profesor Muerte early on in his career to be his version of Doctor Destroyer's minion Menton. Comprised of the disembodied cybernetically boosted brains of six minor psychics wired together into a gestalt being, and encased into a small tracked chassis with four robotic tentacle arms, Profesor Muerte found the results lacking so he dispatched the creature into the world on it's own, wiping it's memory of it's creator and giving it the secret mission of compromising Stronghold and staging a break out should it end up there. It took it years to get there but it did and once it did, for the first time in years Think Tank found itself aimless and latched onto the DuMorte brothers.
 
Blowtorch II took over from Blowtorch I, after the original burned himself to a crisp fighting an unnamed vigilante in a Detroit warehouse in 2013. Aside from cosmetic changes, the new one uses an improved version of the original's customized flamethrower which he calls the "Inferno Gun" and carries a second, handgun sized version as well as delayable explosive incendiary charges. Blowtorch II isn't the pyromaniac that the original was, just a professional arsonist who "upped his game.
 
 

“How do you feel?”
 
“Like I've got the shadow of a hangover. Which, since I've never been drunk is rather interesting.” Leah rubbed her temples. “At least the screaming stopped and there's no spiders lurking in the corners.”
 
“Spiders?” Kris asked.
 
Leah spread her hands wide. “Big honking spider dropping larva out its butt.”
 
Kris looked at Spellbinder. “The larva, as she called it, is what was in the bracelet. There's a strand of the spider creature's web that extended to it.”
 
“Why would it?” Kris asked.
 
Spellbinder gave a wry smile. “The creature is intelligent. It does make deals. From what you've told me, I will assume there is a second larva that was bound to the first. Most likely in Bauer's hands. When Leah was in a proper mental state, that would allow him access in order to inject images, manipulate emotions, that sort of thing.”
 
Kris shook her head slowly. “Addie, you scanned Leah for the better part of a day when she got back. You said that there was nothing effecting her.”
 
“No,” Spellbinder said quietly. “I said there was nothing magical about her except what we now know was Arkayne's manipulations. This isn't magical. The means that the bugs were brought here by most likely was magic. The creatures themselves are simply from another reality.”
 
“If you guys are going to insist on talking bugs, I'm going to go,” Leah said.
 
“How are you feeling?” Kris asked.
 
“Hungry.”
 
“That's a good sign,” Spellbinder said.

“What happened?”
 
“She's awake!” Dani called. “Hey, Teke. You were watching Mentor and passed out. You weren't the only one. Leah is still out. Jason is dealing with multiple compound headaches. Courtesy of all of us.”
 
“But what happened?” Trese tried to sit up. Dani put a hand on her shoulder to keep her down.
 
“The problem, Theresa, is the unknown mass within the bracelet was apparently alive. When I cut into it, you and Leah passed out. The others all suffered headaches,” Mentor explained. “I, on the other hand, heard nothing.”
 
“So we have a sample.”
 
“Unfortunately not. Once its containment was breached it seems to have evaporated.” Trese moaned. “I do, however, have the entire procedure recorded. So, perhaps, among the Guardians' allies, we can find someone with knowledge of what it actually was.”
 
“How are you feeling?” Kris asked.
 
“Like Thumper is in my skull bouncing off the insides. How long was I out?”
 
Kris smiled. “Almost three hours. We can all relate to the headache.” She handed Trese a small cup with pills and a glass of water. “Ibu.” Trese nodded and swallowed them down.
 
“Why did I get hit so hard?” she asked.
 
“I'm thinking proximity. You were in the same room with it with only the containment housing between you and it,” Kris said.
 
Rubbing her forehead with the palm of a hand, Trese asked, “How long you gonna keep me locked up?”
 
“Since you're aware and only suffering from the headache, I am going to release you into Dani's custody. I suggest rest, though.”
 
Trese sat up gingerly. “Whoa. Room shift.” She looked through the glass partition. “How is she?”
 
“Worse off than the rest of us,” Dani said.
 
“Mentor, brainstorm with me. I'm going to want to see the recording. Me being in close quarters with... Whatever it was, knocks me down. Assume it was a pain reaction. A scream, if you will, from what?”
 
Dani shrugged. “Being cut? I'd scream if it hurt.”
 
“The cutting blade was titanium carbide,” Mentor commented. “A possible reaction to that.”
 
“I'm going to go with 'atmospheric',” Spellbinder said from the doorway. “Jason called me,” she said in response to Kris' questioning look. “What was the content of the case, Mentor?”
 
“The bracelet. Sterling silver in the band with traces of copper. Fifteen onyx stones, diamond cut and inlaid. The remote saw. Standard atmosphere. I saw no need to work in a vacuum and there was no danger of combustion.”
 
Spellbinder was quiet, lost in thought. “You're thinking War of the Worlds? Martians get a taste of earth germs and die?” Dani asked.
 
“No,” Spellbinder said. “It's actually a case of it didn't belong here. While it was in the bracelet it was protected. Outside of it, it simply didn't belong in this reality.”
 
“What was it?” Kris asked.
 
“A parasite.”

“So, what do you have planned for the day?”
 
Smiling at Dani, Leah said, “Debating on returning a favor.” Her eyes glanced to Jason's door down the hall.
 
Dani grinned. “I'm game if you are.”
 
“Uh huh. And which of us are you interested in getting naked?”
 
“Both?” Her grin widened. “Been a while since I've been with multiple partners.”
 
“And when have you actually been with more than one person at a time?”
 
“Lots of times!” Dani looked at Leah out of the corner of her eye. “In my fantasies. Not buying, huh?”
 
“Nope,” Leah said grinning. Her eyes rolled up into her head. Leah fell. Dani's hands went to the back of her head. Her forearms pressed against her temples.

Settling into her chair, Trese brought a monitor to life. “Learn anything new?” She studied the image of the bracelet on the screen.
 
“There's a solid core running through the band. I have run calculations based on the size and weight. None of the other elements measure out. There would either be additional space, hollow areas, if you will, or the bracelet would weigh more. I have also run samples of minerals. There are close matches, but only if the minerals, or rocks, are not pure,” Mentor explained.
 
Trese rocked the chair back and rested her head. “I assume you heard Leah?”
 
“I did.”
 
“So, what's the plan?”
 
Mentor said, “To begin with I plan to dismount the onyx. Unless you care to do it.”
 
“Thanks”, Trese said. “I'm not a jeweler.”
 
“After that I have been deliberating the benefits of melting the silver down or cutting it. Do you have a preference?” he asked.
 
“Cut it. Leah doesn't care if it gets broken and you can always melt the silver down after since you've got it in quarantine.”

“Indeed.”

Since these adventures are from 40 years ago and have been out of print for decades, plus they are for the very first editions (as Bolo notes) and are very simple, rebooting them not only makes them available to a whole new audience, but can recreate them to a standard modern players are looking for.  Some of these adventures are extremely difficult to find now.  I'm fine with new stuff too, but the response to rebooting The Island of Dr Destroyer proves that there's a fairly significant market out there for reboots.

Ok, I couldn't sleep tonight so I ended up doing some work on the app and pushing it to the app stores.
 
What you can expect:
Added a new UI for selected affected characteristics/powers on the status UI Fixed an issue that was causing extra whitespace to appear at the bottom of certain iPhone models Fixed a header spacing issue on certain models of iPhone Fixed a white flickering when transitioning between screens The updated beta builds will probably be hitting your phone this weekend at some point.
 
Join the beta here:
Android - https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.herogmtools iOS - https://testflight.apple.com/join/VnuJAmln

I'll be pushing an update this weekend that will have the new status effect UI changes.  I haven't come across anything else that broke during the upgrade so with any luck this will be the last beta 🙂

Trese was sitting on the couch that faced the large screen that regularly saw use as a TV. Stacy sat on one side of her, Lisa noticed that her hair was longer than the last time she had seen the girl. Dani sat on the other, leaning against Trese. Lisa glanced at the screen. They were watching an old black and white movie. She didn't recognize any of the cast.
 
“Trese?”
 
Trese glanced at her and smiled. “Yeah?” Lisa moved behind the couch and held the note out to Trese. “What's this?”
 
“Some place you need to be and when you need to be there,” Lisa told her.
 
Reading the note and glancing at the clock, Trese said, “A little more than half an hour. What's going on?”
 
Lisa simply shrugged. “Take a flyer.”
 
“Is it something she'll need help with?” Dani asked. Lisa shook her head. “Alrighty then.”
 
Sighing, Trese stood up. “Guess I better get ready for work.” Stepping past Stacy, Trese looked at Lisa. “I'm not sure if I'm supposed to thank you or curse you for this.” Lisa laughed.
 
* * * * *
Psistorm set the flyer down on asphalt away from the people and the lights. The first raindrops hit her windscreen before she popped the hatch. She walked towards the police tape.
 
“Hurry up, people! We need to gather as much as we can before it really starts coming down!” Psistorm saw “Colvin” on a patch affixed to his gear vest.
 
“This is why you sent me out here, Lisa?” she asked quietly. Her eyes began to glow purple. She put a barrier over the crime scene that extended past the tape.
 
Colvin looked up. “What the hell?”
 
“Good evening, Detective Colvin. Umbrella Lass at your service,” Psistorm called out to him.

Sitting on her bed cross-legged, Lisa Sheffield ran a brush through her hair. She shared living quarters with Jenny Michaels. The view was a lot better than that of the dorms. The food was free and the meals generally tended to be edible. Especially the nights when Jason was in residence.
 
Lisa did her share of the common chores. When Jason cooked there usually wasn't a lot of cooking dishes that needed cleaning. To say nothing of his skills in the kitchen. Something Brad could learn a bit of.
 
Frowning to herself she tossed the brush on the bed. Growing up she'd never seen the ass that Brad was now. He had been competitive in sports, but when he started wearing his Nightwing costume it was like that aspect of him had been inflated. Apparently on par with his ego. And from what Lisa had seen so far of the Guardians' records and reports, much to the detriment of his body and reputation as a hero. How many times could one person knock themselves out before they didn't wake up again?
 
She lay back on her pillow lost in thought. Lisa didn't feel it when her powers activated. One moment, she was staring at the ceiling, and the next, her eyes clouded, turning white. When the phenomenon passed she reached for a journal sitting on her nightstand.
 
“How long?” She opened the book with the ribbon and clicked her pen. The ribbon was always on a blank page.
 
“One minute forty-seven seconds,” Mentor answered. She jotted the date, time, and the elapsed time across the top of the page. Lisa began writing what session was about. Miss Masters seemed to think such a habit important.
 
“Thanks for keeping an eye on me,” she said with a smile. Not sure if Mentor could detect such things, but it made her feel better thinking that it... He, she reminded herself, could and realized what it meant.
 
“Always. As you and Doctor Tyler requested. At least you haven't been trance walking lately.”
 
“Yeah, that kind of puts a damper on the joy of sleeping nude.” Lisa grabbed a post-it. She wrote a time on it followed by GPS coordinates. “Where's Trese at?”
 
“She is in the common area.”
 
Lisa sighed. “Thanks.” She got up and headed for the door.

Perhaps add Hardened a few times for extra protection?

Low though I walk through the valley of death,
But I shall fear no evil,
For Danger Scarf is with me!

How about a barrier that prevents teleportation, with an auto-resetting trigger (whenever someone tries to teleport him)?

Marlene lay with her head in Jason's lap. She was facing him with one hand slipped behind the small of his back. Jason had one hand on her side and the other gently massaged the back of her neck. Jason's head was tilted back. His ankles were crossed on the coffee table.
 
She sighed when the doorbell rang. “All good things...” she muttered, forcing herself up. She made her way to the door. The doorman stood on the other side holding a brown paper bag.
 
“Delivery,” he said when Marlene opened the door.
 
Smiling, Marlene said, “Thanks, James. Did I cover it all?”
 
“Yes, Ma'am. Enjoy your dinner.” James turned and headed back toward the elevator.
 
She closed the door and turned back. The only sign of Jason were his shoes under the table. Marlene frowned. The bag of food went on the counter. Making her way down the hall to the bedroom, she found Jason laying on the bed. He had stripped down to a pair of shorts. One arm was across his eyes.
 
Smiling, she bent over and gave him a kiss. Turning back toward the door, Jason's hand caught hers. “You need something?”
 
“You,” he answered.
 
“I'm going to put the food away for later. Then I'll change out of my clothes and curl up with you.”
 
Power flowed. Others have described the sensation like a momentary sense of being naked and the change was done. To Marlene it had always felt like Jason was touching her everywhere all at once. It was somewhat arousing to her and the thoughts she had about it slipped into erotic.
 
When it was done, she found herself in a long, green satin nightgown. Dark lace adorned the bodice, sleeves, and lower hem. “Hmm. Someone went shopping for me.”
 
“I went shopping for me. I thought that might look good in a painting of my favorite lingerie model.”
 
Marlene smiled. “I thought Leah was your favorite.”
 
“Second favorite.”
 
“What made her slip a spot?” Marlene asked teasingly.
 
“Probably the fact I haven't seen her in lingerie in several years.”
 
“I'll be right back.” When she came back Jason seemed to be asleep. She pulled a light blanket up from the foot of the bed to cover him. Marlene slipped in laying her head on his chest with an arm to either side. Jason's arms came up to hold her.
 
* * * * *
“What did you get me?”
 
“I called Wolfgang's. Chicken and rice, broccoli, and macaroni and cheese.” Dani helped Trese off with her coat. “How was it?”
 
“So many people had plans. They didn't get to tell their loved ones that they loved them one last time. One woman threatened her husband with divorce. Then he ends up dead.” Trese slipped her shoes off. “One woman is pregnant. They hadn't been married a year yet. He'd been with the company less than five months.” She came to Dani and put her hands on Dani's hips. Dani's arms went around Trese. Their foreheads came together. “I'm drained. I'm tired.”
 
“What happens with the pregnant woman?”
 
Trese picked her head up and smiled. “Jason put her husband on the rolls. He can argue with the insurance people. He is going to maintain the husband's pay. At least for a while.”
 
“Shower or dinner first?”
 
“Shower. Maybe it will help.”

Leaning against Marlene's desk, Trese watched her. She looked as drained as Trese felt. “What's left on your schedule?”
 
Tapping her screen, Marlene said, “I've got a meeting at four.”
 
“Internal or external?” Trese asked.
 
“That's the meeting with Accounting?” Sarah asked.
 
“Yes.”
 
“Sarah, shift the meeting from Marlene's schedule to mine. You can send whatever you've got for the meeting to my inbox and I'll go over it.”
 
“What are you doing?” Marlene asked.
 
Trese smiled. “Asserting my authority.”
 
“And what do you expect me to do?”
 
“I expect you to collect your things, take the rest of the day off, taking Jason with you. I expect you to turn off your phones and find a quiet place where you can take a break. Find a place where people won't expect to find you or will at least respect your privacy if they do know you're there.”
 
Marlene stared at Trese for a moment and then smiled. “Sarah, can you order me and Jason some dinner? Have it delivered to my apartment here, please.”
 
“Anything in particular?” Sarah asked.
 
“Anything not pizza,” answered Marlene. She stood up and went to her closet, taking out a long coat and draping that over her arm. “Do you know where Jason is?”
 
“Research. Talking with whoever will talk to him.” Trese watched while Marlene collected whatever she felt needed collecting and slipped it into her briefcase before snapping it closed. She slipped on her coat and gathered her bag and briefcase. “Thanks,” Marlene said stepping around her desk. Trese leaned her cheek towards Marlene and put a finger on it. Marlene kissed it and hugged Trese. “Thanks, Sis.”
 
“Go get him and get out of here before I change my mind and run off to spend time with Dani.” Marlene left her office.
 
“The Thai place delivers here. Do you think Jason will mind?”
 
Smiling at Sarah, Trese said, “Nope. I'll be in my office. If you don't have anything left to do today with Marlene gone, feel free to escape, too.”
 
“Thanks,” she said to Trese's back.
 
Walking back to her own office Trese felt the weight of the day pulling her down. She felt her own need to decompress. Dinner with Dani and maybe a movie. Stepping into her office, she pulled her phone out and tapped the screen. “Mentor, Jason gets the night off. I don't care if the world decides to end.”
 
“Yes, Trese.”
 
“Pass me to Dani, please.”
 
“Hey!”
 
“Hey, yourself.”
 
“Whatcha need?”
 
“My bestie.”
 
“There?” Dani asked with concern.
 
“No. This mess is done. I chased Marlene out and confiscated her last meeting. I need to go over her notes for it. After I get out, I need dinner, maybe a movie, and to unwind.”
 
“It's Brad's night for dinner,” Dani said.
 
“Ugh. I need comfort food. Not hot wings and beer.”
 
“What would you like?”
 
“Anything not pizza.”
 
Dani laughed. “But pizza is comforting.”
 
“Serious, Dani. Nothing really greasy.”
 
“Okay, Teke. I'll take care of it. Call me when you're heading out.”
 
“I will. Dani?”
 
“Yeah?”
 
“I love you.”
 
“I love you, too. See you in a while.”

So I tried to remake the island in a map maker program, any suggestions?

“Are you okay?”
 
Marlene glanced at Jason. “He's about thirty hours without sleep right now,” she said to Trese.
 
“Jason,” he looked up at Trese. “Don't talk any more than you have to,” she said smiling sweetly. Jason returned to the file he had been reading.
 
Slipping her hand under the table, Marlene touched his thigh. His hand dropped to cover hers. She wished this wasn't necessary, but she had to agree with Jason. Get it done. Get it over with. Let the families start healing as best they can. When this day ended, Jason was hers. Hopefully for the entire weekend.
 
“I still say it sets a bad precedent,” Thomas Abernathy said.
 
'Tom, I realize that you are doing your job, advising what you see as the best course of action,” Jason said. His voice indicating how tired he was. “I thank you for that, but I don't see this as a company precedent. You're concerned with the legal ramifications should any such event happen again. My grandparents, both sets, had a say in the foundation of this company's culture. The company isn't the buildings. Those can be rebuilt or repurposed as needed. It isn't the products.
 
“It's the people we employ. They built up the company's reputation. They are the company, at its heart.”
 
“But all this for one woman...”
 
“A family,” Trese said. “She's pregnant, if it makes a difference. She lost her husband. Talking to the people he worked with, that knew him, they haven't been married a year. We owe her our support.” Marlene smiled at her. “That's my vote, anyhow.”
 
“I agree,” Marlene said. Kat Collins and Morgan Shaw entered the conference room through the door to Trese's office. Marlene sent a fast text to Sarah. “Mrs. Collins,” Marlene said in greeting. “Morgan. Nice to see you.”
 
“Thank you,” they both said. Kat slipped into the chair beside Trese. Morgan stood at the chair next to Kat. “If you don't mind me saying so, you look like...” shit. “Something that got run over. Multiple times. Busy night?” She slipped into her chair.
 
“Nice to see you, too, Morgan. Evening out, long night, no sleep.” Morgan raised an eyebrow at Marlene. Marlene simply shook her head.