Crimson Alchemy – Episode 1: The Toxin of Truth

The air in Ravenport, New York, hung heavy with anticipation as the Hawthorne University gala took over the Grand Lux Hotel. The room was awash with opulence: glittering chandeliers, polished mahogany floors, and champagne flutes raised in toasts to privilege. At the center of it all was Senator Miles Calder, a man who wielded power like a weapon, his smirk a trademark of invulnerability.

Ruby Blackwell adjusted her glasses and smoothed the skirt of her navy-blue dress. The gala was an obligation she couldn’t avoid—professors were expected to mingle with benefactors, after all—but tonight, her presence served a dual purpose. Her heart raced beneath her professional exterior. Hidden beneath her modest clutch was a small, silver device no larger than a coin. Inside, a slow-reacting dispersal agent lay dormant, waiting for her signal.

Earlier that week, Ruby had watched the news with a growing sense of disgust. Calder’s involvement with a minor had been exposed, but the headlines quickly shifted to his expensive legal team and carefully curated public apologies. The charges vanished, buried beneath the weight of money and influence.

That was when she’d decided: Calder would fall.

Ruby scanned the room. Calder stood near the stage, surrounded by sycophants, his tailored suit a shield of polished respectability. Ruby approached casually, weaving through the crowd with the ease of someone who knew how to remain invisible. A soft smile here, a polite nod there. She passed him, her hand brushing his pocket with the lightest of touches.

The device was in place.

An hour later, as Calder delivered a self-congratulatory speech about his “dedication to family values,” Ruby, now the Scarlet Harlot, slipped out of the gala and onto the rooftop of the Grand Lux. Her crimson hair spilled over her shoulders, and her armored bodysuit glinted faintly under the moonlight. From her perch, she activated the dispersal device with a subtle flick of her wrist.

Inside, Calder stumbled mid-sentence. His words slurred as his body betrayed him, the toxin coursing through his veins. The crowd gasped as he collapsed, his security detail rushing to his side. Chaos erupted in the ballroom, but Ruby was already gone, a shadow blending into the night.

The next morning, Ravenport was abuzz with scandal. The footage of Calder’s collapse had gone viral, spawning speculation about his health and integrity. Ruby sat in her office, sipping coffee as her students trickled into her lecture hall. She adjusted her glasses and began a lesson on catalytic reactions, her tone calm and measured, as though she weren’t the reason for the latest political firestorm.

Tessa-Rae Crofton, the vibrant new art professor, approached her after class.

“Hey, Ruby,” Tessa said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Were you at the gala last night?”

Ruby hesitated, her mind racing. “Briefly,” she replied, her voice steady.

“Crazy, what happened to Calder, right?” Tessa leaned against the desk. “It’s just… something about it reminded me of the Scarlet Harlot. You know, that vigilante everyone’s whispering about.”

Ruby’s grip on her coffee mug tightened. “I’m sure it’s just a coincidence,” she said with a practiced smile.

Tessa shrugged, but her gaze lingered. “Maybe. I mean, whoever she is, she’s incredible. I’ve been working on some sketches—my own little tribute.”

Ruby forced a laugh. “I’ll have to see them sometime.”

As Tessa walked away, Ruby exhaled slowly. The Scarlet Harlot’s work wasn’t done—not by a long shot. But she couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that Tessa-Rae Crofton was getting too close to the truth.

That night, Ruby stood in her hidden workshop, surrounded by vials and blueprints. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, at the bold red lipstick and confident smirk of the Scarlet Harlot staring back at her.

She thought of Tessa’s sketches, of the admiration in her voice. She thought of Calder, still lying in a hospital bed with no memory of what had happened.

Justice was a chemical reaction, she mused. One part science, one part resolve, and one part shadow.

The Scarlet Harlot’s war was just beginning.