Dolores

Wrinkles sighed.

"Alright, there is more. Dolores and I weren't just on the same team. I was her mentor of sorts,"

Dr Arbuckle's voice came down to a whisper, but a really angry whisper.

"You mean, she's the one Rebecca always talks about. The other "mysterious daughter" papa always spends time with," one of the veins around his neck bulged as he strained himself, forcing himself to talk in a hushed tone despite his attempt to burst in rage.

Wrinkles nodded.

The doctor took a huge breath to calm himself.

"Another quick question. Rebecca's mother, your wife, said you were secretly seeing someone else. So is she the illegitimate.....?

Wrinkles cut him off immediately.

"Whoa, there laddie! I was never involved in any affair! She was a girl which showed potential but was lost. She needed guidance. So I took her in, brought her under my wing. I thought Rebecca and her mother would understand. You know, being hero and all. How did you think I met Rebecca's mother? I met her during one of her crime-fighting! She gave that up to lead a civilian life," Wrinkle’s said, knowing at least that one part of his story was true.

Wrinkles paused a while as he saw the shocked expression on the doctor's face. He looked like a child who was told by his parents that Santa Claus did not exist.

"I guess I said too much. Back to the real issue. My hand is already starting to hurt," Wrinkles plunked his immobilized arm onto the study table, causing a few pens to fall off.

Dr Arbunckle regained his composure and went to examine the hand.

"So she did this to your hand? Pretty standard injury from someone who has super strength" the doctor said tapping the cast.

"Yes but there was another thin I saw her do. Self heal. I didn’t really mean to burn her, but it was out of self defence. Yet she healed from her wounds almost in an instant. During her days with me, she never displayed this ability before," Wrinkle’s explained.

"So can you help me? By the way, please take a look at Dolores later,"

"I'll see what I can do. Can't do much. After all, I'm just a paediatrician," the doctor joked sarcastically.

Wrinkles gave an amused grunt.

The doctor went to the study drawer and brough back a bottle of ointment.

“This might help with the bruises. They can do much for the cracks on your bone though,” he said about to put the foul smelling ointment on Wrinkles arm.

Suddenly he heard his father-in-law give a shout. His began to glow a strange pinkish colour.

“What’s wrong? I haven’t even touched you yet” he said in surprise.

There were cracking sounds, from beneath his skin. Like bones being popped back into their proper place. Doctor Arbuckle’s face paled as he watched Wrinkles writhed in pain for a bit. It lasted for a moment and then was replaced by a sigh of relief.

Wrinkles suddenly lifted his arm to the doctor and waved it around.

“The pain is gone! Your medicine healed my arm,”

“No, it didn’t. It’s just regular bruise ointment,” he said.

"I did it," both men turned around and saw Dolores standing at the doorway. She was obviously conscious but was no longer in her uniform as she wrapped herself with a very large olive green cloth.

Her hand was glowing with the strange pinkish glow, that Wrinkles armed had been emitting earlier.

"But how?” the doctor said in confusion.

He had seen healing ability in work before. But never one that could work without touching.

Dolores kept her hand back into the cloth.

"Let's just say it was a gift from my friend. It's all very new so I don't have full control of it," she said.

"Wait, are those my curtain drapes?" Dr Arbunckle suddenly interrupted as a sudden recognition of the olive-colored cloth wrapped around Dolores came upon him.

Before Dolores could answer him, they could sense was a strong burning smell. The doctor stared at Dolores in horror.

"Wait! What's that smell?"

There was a suffocating smoke-like smell seeping into the study.

Both men looked at each other in panic.

"The fireplace!"

Dr Arbunckle gave Dolores an angry glance before rushing down the stairs.

Rebecca and the boys were outside in the backyard enjoying snacks, unaware of the strange event which had occurred.

The nurse's uniform Dolores once wore crackled as the fire danced around it, turning the once white uniform dark brown, then eventually ash black.

The doctor's face took on a reddish and purplish hue. The veins on his temples started to bulge. Wrinkles, who had just reached the bottom of the stairs, took a step backward as his son-in-law glared at him.

"You're going to pay for that?" he pointed at Dolores who was wrapped in his expensive silk curtains. She was looking down from the top of the stairs.

Wrinkles scratched the back of his head, at loss for words.

"I'm sorry. But do you have any clothes I could borrow?"

Dolores suddenly seemed to have gained some composure and was beginning to speak.

Dr Arbuckle was bowled over at the rudeness of his strange unwelcomed guest.

"Why should I help a crazy loon like you when you tried to burn down my house and destroyed my curtains? I have a good mind to call the authorities right now!" he snapped.

At the word 'authorities', Dolores started to shake violently. She looked absolutely terrified.

"Please no! If you do that you will not only put me but your whole family in danger!"

Arbuckle sprang into a defensive stance at the word 'danger'. Without warning he propelled himself with his telekinetic ability up to the second floor and now stood in front of a slightly stunned Dolores.

"Are you threatening me?" the mild-mannered doctor seemed to have a strange and wild look in his eyes.

Dolores stared back with equal intensity for a while, analyzing the situation.

"Wait. You're a Minder right? Please try reading my mind and see for yourself whether or not I'm telling the truth,"

The doctor step back, startled. "How do you know that?"

"I have had experience with the likes of you," Dolores said calmly.

"No, that's a violation! I won't do it," Arbuckle was feeling very uneasy now.

"You have my permission," Dolores replied calmly.

Arbuckle was still uneasy.

"You sure?"

Dolores nodded.

"Are you ready for what you are about to find out?"

He sighed and looked at Wrinkles at the bottom of the staircase. The old man shrugged his shoulders. He had nothing to say about this.

"Okay then, try not to resist. It would hurt us both," the doctor said, furrowing his brows in concern.

"Trust me, I know," came the reply.

Arbuckle grinned nervously.

He then concentrated hard on the lady in front of him.