The Global Protectors – Dawn of the Millennium
Hello and welcome to what should be my sixth Global Protectors story (unless I miscounted somewhere).
This one is a historical story going back to the beginning of the team to tell their origin, their first battle in costume, their subsequent capture and loss of costumes… y'know the usual.
In case anyone is wondering the Global Protectors stories I've finished so far (in order of occurrence) are:
Global Protectors - Dawn of the Millennium:
Global Protectors - Strip Mall
Global Protectors - Their First Time
Global Protectors - Global Protectors vs. The Wraithlord
Global Protectors - The Seduction of Shamrock
Global Protectors - 7 days
The other stories should be available on the site where you found this one.
As always I remind everyone that the Global Protectors, Ultra Woman and Doctor Droid were created by none other than Doctor Droid (www.superstories.net/droidzone) and as such are copyright Doctor Droid. Check out his site for a rich library of images. Other characters and text are copyright Marcus Lycus.
What does that legal gibberish mean? It means that if you want to use the Global Protectors in another story you need Doctor Droid’s permission (not mine). It also means that you can’t repost this story without my permission.
And since this story is meant for people over the age of 18, please don’t read it if you are younger than that. Any resemblance between characters in this story and any actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental of course.
And finally, please e-mail me with any comments, complaints or suggestions. Remember feedback leads to more stories!
Marcus Lycus
August 2004
Chapter 1 – Death and Rebirth
It was the year 1999, a time of innocence and naiveté. The Internet Economy ensured we would enjoy unlimited growth and prosperity forever. Microsoft was about to be broken up by the Justice Department. Digital effects meant that Star Wars movies would be better than ever. The collapse of communism meant that everyone in the whole world loved freedom and America. Everything was perfect except for the looming threat of the dreaded Y2K bug which threatened to bring civilization crashing down.
Ah… we were so young and foolish…
And in the frigid artic wastes of Canada, a new heroine was about to be born…
Smiling ear to ear, Jillian Havre walked down the steps of the Toronto courthouse enjoying the chilly wind on her face. Kent, ace reporter for the Daily Star trotted behind her trying not to stare too much at her ass.
Jillian knew one of these days she’d have to give him some action before the poor boy exploded.
"Miss Havre, do you think convicting Joey "The Rock" Kubert will impact organized crime in Toronto?"
Well that was a nice question, exactly what she needed. That Kent kid was getting pretty accommodating.
"Let me say that with today's conviction the mob is finished in this city. Two years ago I promised the people of Toronto I would crack down on these mobsters and now the last of the big-time mafia kingpins is behind bars."
Jillian turned to face him, bending slightly so Kent could see that bit of cleavage she left ‘accidentally’ showing for the jury. Even though she was on the far side of 30, Jillian Havre could still turn heads and she knew how to use that advantage. As she likes to put it, 'you have to sell the merchandise'.
"Is it true you plan to run for higher office after these high-profile convictions?"
Jillian thought carefully about her answer, she knew what she wanted to say of course, and so did Kent, but she had to be very careful about how she said it.
"The people of Toronto have chosen me to defend their rights in court and I will continue to do so unless they choose to have me fight for their rights somewhere else."
Kent smiled, if he played his cards right he might just have an exclusive. And maybe something more.
"That’s certainly an interesting answer Miss Havre, perhaps you could expand on it later, say tonight, about eight?"
Jillian smiled back, she’d played this game before, the up-and-coming politician and the eager reporter, it made for some real fireworks in bed. But she wasn’t going to let him off that easy. "Oh I’m sorry Mr. Kent, but I have a meeting tonight. Perhaps some other time…" She waited for his reply. "Kent? Kent? Hello? Look at me here!" The moron was staring off at something behind her!
"Say Jillian, am I nuts or does that guy have a gun?"
"Huh?" She said turning around.
Out of the clear sky, Jillian heard thunder…
Pain.
Darkness.
Voices…
"I’m sorry Mr. Kent there’s nothing more we can do… May never come out of that coma…"
"You mentioned that doctor in Megapolis…"
"Experimental treatment… can’t recommend it."
"It's not like you’re doing any good…"
Strange feelings. Floating, but not in water, something thicker.
Something was stuck in her nose. She couldn’t breath right.
More pain.
Needles entering her body.
Electricity surging through her!
More voices… a man and woman.
"Potential psychic energy up 24%."
"Getting brainwave activity."
More needles, more pain.
"Engaging psychokinetic catalyst."
Jillian screamed.
Everything went black.
Jillian sat up with a scream.
Her chest heaved from the memory of her nightmares and a cold sweat soaked through her gown.
Gunshots, pain, blood, torture, experiments, needles, shocks, pain.
Strange people probing her like some kind science experiment. But it was all a bad dream. Wasn’t it?
Her eyes hurt from the light, they weren’t focusing right. But the big white spot in her vision slowly faded to a simple florescent light and she could see her surroundings.
At first glance it seemed to be an ordinary hospital room. She was in an adjustable bed, hooked up to all sorts of mysterious monitors beeping and humming away. A chart hanging from the wall identified her as a patient of Dr. Boyd. (Who?)
Had she been shot after all? She felt her chest but there were no scars.
Looking around the room she saw some strange things. Her door was a thick metal one with a small window of bullet proof glass. There were heavy leather straps on her bed, torn when she woke up. (How had she done that? Adrenaline?)
She was wearing a thin pink hospital gown open in the back and stamped ‘Property of Mega University Hospital’ throughout.
Mega University? She’d never even heard of it.
A glance outside showed her an unfamiliar skyline. Where ever Jillian was she was definitely not in Toronto. And she was clearly supposed to be someone’s prisoner. Someone who had been hurting her.
If these monitors were working whoever was in charge must know she was awake. She figured she had only minutes to get away before her captor arrived.
Pulling out wires she stumbled towards the window. She was a bit shaky, (how long had she been out?) but actually felt pretty good. She pulled up on window and it rose easily. (She thought she heard a lock break but that was impossible.)
Sticking her head out she saw things were not going to be easy. It looked like she was ten stories up. There was a thin ledge outside the window though and maybe with luck she could make her way to another room and slip out. Looking over her shoulder she didn’t see anyone at the door but now that she’d removed her wires all the monitors were beeping and flashing red lights. She knew it was only a matter of time.
She looked out again at the street far below. She tried not to think about how narrow and icy the ledge was. She lifted her leg.
The first step is always the hardest...
Vendla Alborg, Ph.D. sat in the staff lounge wishing for a cigarette. (Stupid American hospitals with their absurd rules, don’t they know cigarettes relieve stress?). She leafed through the only magazine in the lounge for the twelfth time (stupid American ‘news’ magazines, sex and violence and celebrities but nothing that any intelligent person could even mistake for news) and sighed. What a way to spend the biggest party night in the world. Not that she had planned on going to a party...
Time to go for a walk.
The Swedish woman rose to her commanding height of 5’11" and made sure her long blond hair was still safe in its tight bun. She wore a baby blue miniskirt and blazer with a tight yellow turtleneck. White stockings covered her long shapely legs. The effect was a confusing mixed message, professional and modest but sexy as all hell. Look but don’t touch. A classic career woman ice queen.
Her low-heeled practical shoes padded softly in the quiet ward. Any patient that could walk or crawl had insisted on being discharged and even offers of double time-and-a-half hadn’t persuaded more than a handful of nurses and orderlies to come in that night. She nodded to the one nurse on duty and stole a glance at the bank of monitors. She didn’t expect to see anything of course. She and her partner had been watching their charge for more than a week now and nothing had happened. Despite the initial positive signs, it looked like Jillian Havre was going to be another disappointment.
Then the monitors went dead!
"Come with me!" She yelled to the nurse and took off at a run towards Jillian’s private room. Through the bulletproof glass she could see the Canadian’s bare bottom sticking out the window. (Was the woman insane?) Vendla accelerated and winced as she bounced off the locked metal door. Grunting in frustration she leaned against it pushing until the lock shattered.
(She had to smile, who ever thought quiet little Vendla would be smashing through steel?)
Jillian crawled out the window onto the thin ledge. Cold winds lashed her through the thin hospital gown and patches of ice threatened to send her falling to her doom. Below she could see crowds of people milling around shouting, dancing and drinking in some kind of citywide party. (What the hell is this? And isn’t it a bit cold for September?)
Looking down had been a mistake. Overcome by a wave of vertigo Jillian grabbed a leering gargoyle carved into the building’s façade. She felt her fingers sink into the granite like it was styrofoam. (Weakened by pollution?) She put her bare feet on the ledge (Cold! Cold! Cold!) and stood up.
So far so good.
She managed one hesitant step to the left, then another. Grabbing bricks and stone protrusions (all of them as soft and crumbly as that gargoyle) she started to make some progress. She smiled; she was starting to feel like she might make it.
"Funny," she thought, feeling the cold wind blow between her legs and seeing her nipples rise up beneath the thin gown "back in law school I used to dream about having adventures like in some John Gresham novel and now here I am."
"Adventures suck."
Then she heard the thud come from her room.
Vendla stuck her head out the window. Now only was her patient up and about, she was trying to escape on the ledge. Vendla looked down and worried. Even if the process had worked, that fall could still kill her.
"Jillian listen to me, I’m here to help you."
A crazy blond girl was yelling at her from the window. She couldn’t hear the words but recognized something about the voice. Low, husky with a trace of a foreign accent, it was the voice she’d heard before, the woman who’d tortured her!
"N-no!" She yelled trying to move faster along the ledge, if only someone would look up and see her! If only someone would help!
The wind picked up, the panicked woman’s steps became less sure, there was another patch of ice…
In short… Jillian fell.
She screamed on the way down carried by her momentum across the street towards another roof. That one was only 5 stories away, but still enough to kill her.
But somehow, amazingly, she landed in a crouch unharmed.
(Caught in an updraft?)
She didn’t have much time to marvel at her luck. Her blond pursuer had climbed out the window and was jumping after her.
Jillian started to run, crossing the rooftops faster than she’d ever moved before even on her high school track team. She leapt across street and up 20’ walls without thinking, without stopping to wonder how. All she knew was the blond was matching her and she did not dare stop.
She jumped across a four-lane street and kept going.
Vendla fumed as she chased her errant charge. Her expensive shoes had been ruined when she hit the roof and her favorite skirt had torn down the seam. The blazer was torn by a TV antenna and the strain from her jiggling breasts was going to ruin her new bra.
She muttered a curse.
Her forcefield was supposed to make her invulnerable but right now the only thing her powers were protecting were her stockings and panties.
Crap.
She’d just bought a new wardrobe too.
Hearing a thud she stopped for a second to fish her cell phone out of a puddle. Ruined. Great. Looking around she caught sight of Jillian’s bare butt again and tried to find the energy for another burst of speed.
All around her the sounds of partying people had condensed into a single chant.
TEN! NINE!
Jillian noted the chant but didn’t give it much heed. It was strange. She had been so scared, so nervous, so tired but now after running she was feeling better and better, more alive than she had felt in years. She felt like she could run forever.
Crossing a major avenue she jumped higher and farther than ever before, practically flying above the city.
EIGHT!
SEVEN!
Vendla was panting by then. She thought of comic book characters who could spend the whole night prowling a city and not get tired. But this is the real world and even with her improvements Vendla still has limits.
She saw Jillian jump over Simon Boulevard arching slowly, almost hovering.
She noted it in the back of her mind, it was possible in theory but she had never done it, nor had Kanika as far as she knew. But in the front of her mind she just cared that if offered her a chance.
She jumped.
SIX!
FIVE!
Out of the corner of her eye Jillian saw the blond jumping after her on a course to intercept her in midair. The blonde's superhuman abilities no longer surprised her; they seemed no more unnatural than her own. But she still had no desire to be taken. Desperately she turned her head, willing herself to change course and avoid her hunter.
FOUR!
THREE!
The Canadian was practically in reach.
Almost.
Almost.
But somehow, impossibly the woman started to rise straight up!
Vendla reached for her foot but…
TWO!
ONE!
Thousands of fireworks rose throughout the city as cries of "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" and drunken renditions of "Auld Lang Syne" rose up.
A bright explosion flashed in front of Val’s cold blue eyes blinding her.
Her arc carried her across the street, below her prey and into a trash-filled alley.
Spitting out a mouthful of wet trash Vendla looked at the sky. Jillian was gone, lost in the flowering explosions above.
"Happy fucking new millennium" she swore in gutter Swedish.
It was a dream.
A wonderful, wonderful dream that she never wanted to wake up from.
Jillian Havre’s whole life had been stress. Pushed by her successful father into law, raised to always be the best she had never let up the pressure on herself rising to the top of her undergrad class, the top of her law school and finally the top of her profession.
And now…
She drifted calmly among the bursting rockets and sprinkling lights, turning pirouettes in midair. Below her lay a huge city, an endless collection of skyscrapers, neighborhoods and alleyways and she was its queen, its goddess, rising above it all.
She didn’t know how long she floated, long enough for the fireworks to end and the crowds to start to thin. Long enough to start to notice the cold and to realize how tired she was.
Slowly she sank towards the Earth, settling down on a dirty street corner littered with discarded hats, noise makers and oversized glasses shaped like the number 2000.
Wow.
New Years Eve 2000, THE New Years Eve everyone had been waiting for.
And she’d missed it.
But looking up at the starry sky she didn’t feel that disappointed.
"Best New Year's ever..." She muttered.
She felt good. Not just good but great. But a little tired, and hungry and more than anything she felt…
(She blushed even to think the word.)
…horny.
After ten minutes of desperate searching Vendla finally found a pay phone that had not been vandalized or stolen (stupid American cities) and called Kanika's cell phone. She hoped her fellow success story was still awake.
A drunk whistled at her from across the street and waved a fist full of $20s. The Swede hissed at him and sent him on his way but she realized with her torn skirt and jiggling breasts she probably didn't look at all like a physicist.
As the phone was ringing another drunk called out to her… Vendla cursed again.
Parker wandered the streets alone. Once the fireworks had ended his buddies had taken off with their girls. Flash was off somewhere with Mary Jane and Harry had taken Gwen back to his loft leaving nerdy old Parker to spend the first few hours of the new millennium alone.
Of course he knew that the year 2000 wasn’t REALLY the start of the new millennium, the millennium wouldn’t start until 2001 since there had never been a year zero. But somehow that knowledge just didn’t cheer him up.
Kicking an empty beer can down Ditko Boulevard he headed towards the subway stop. His part-time job at the paper didn't leave enough money for a cab, what with school and his aunt's medical bills.
Of course the subway entrance on Ditko was filled by a crowd of obnoxious drunks. Parker decided to slip down McFarlaine Alley and try the entrance on Romita.
That's when he saw her. A total beauty, long toned legs, red lips and a nice rack just standing there in the cold wearing nothing but a thin wet hospital gown. Through it he could see… everything.
He took off his thick glasses wiping them clean in case this was some illusion but she was still there when he put them back on.
"No way… no way this is happening to me, not to me, no way. And it's not even the real start of the millennium…"
He felt his blood rushing down, to that spot between legs.
She looked at him and smiled.
A hungry, scary smile.
He took a step back.
She pounced.
Wearing a tight green strapless dress Kanika Ngala looked over the assembled academics with a mixture of envy and contempt. Here were hundreds of Americans who talked forever about human rights and poverty but had never had to see the real hardship and oppression that millions suffered everyday in her native Africa. She knew they meant well, but even these so-called experts were na?ve in many ways.
But Dr. Boyd had insisted she attend and it was certainly more interesting than spending New Year's Eve in a deserted hospital waiting for a white woman to wake up. The doctor had left early, barely staying for the countdown but Kanika had been ambushed by a drunken professor with a bad case of jungle fever.
"Excuse me Doctor Johnson, I have to take this call, I'll be back in just one second…"
"Vendla! Finally! Are you coming to the party? Most of the university is still here and I swear if that anthropology professor tries one more time to 'show me his research' in the broom closet I'm going to crush his little-"
"What?"
"OK, let me call a cab and I'll meet you there."
Jillian grabbed the boy's jeans in her hands; the brass zipper teeth of his fly tore like paper. The prize within it was already hot and hard.
"Oh God… oh God" Parker repeated stunned.
"Come to momma" she muttered as she straddled the nervous college boy feeling him slip into her tight wet snatch. She grabbed his hands and put them on her breasts until he got the idea and squeezed. Not much but at least it was something. She let out a sigh of contentment and began riding him slowly at first but then picking up speed, going faster and faster, feeling hotter and hotter until…
"What the FUCK!" She screamed in his face. "Is that all you got?! Are you fucking gay or something?"
The kid stuttered something and wiggled out from under her. Holding up his ruined pants he fled into the night.
"You… you better run, fucking wimp… lousy five minute fuck…"
Jillian got up and tried to stumble after him but felt exhaustion catch with her. She made it halfway down the alley before collapsing face down into a puddle and enjoying some blissful sleep.
She never even saw the two figures walking up behind her or felt their hands on her body.
The Global Protectors – Dawn of the Millennium
The Global Protectors, Ultra Woman and Doctor Droid were created by none other than Doctor Droid (www.superstories.net/droidzone) and as such are copyright Doctor Droid. Other characters and text are copyright Marcus Lycus.
This story is meant for people over the age of 18, please don’t read it if you are younger than that. Any resemblance between characters in this story and any actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental of course.
And finally, please e-mail me with any comments, complaints or suggestions. Remember feedback leads to more stories!
Marcus Lycus
Chapter 2 – False Start
Jillian awoke again with a start.
She found herself in a neat, though generic, hotel room dressed in sweat pants and a long tee shirt. She sat there for a few minutes holding up the sheets in front of her, trying to make sense of her scattered memories.
Had it just been a dream?
Had she really done that with a strange guy?
Was it actually the year 2000? Weren't all the computers supposed to crash or something?
The door opened, a blond woman entered carrying a breakfast tray.
It all came back to her.
Jillian screamed and bolted for the balcony, the blond dropped the tray and dashed after her, crossing the room and catching the Canadian before the coffee even hit the carpet.
Jillian struggled in her arms but the blond was just too strong.
"Sorry Jillian but there's no way I'm going through that again."
Once she had calmed Jillian down Vendla had allowed the Canadian to change into some proper clothes. She then brought her into the suite's living room promising some long overdue answers. Jillian took her place on the couch across from a quiet-looking man while the statuesque blonde and an irritable African woman hovered around.
"So, I hear you're the man with the answers."
"Hrm, yes, I suppose I am, my name is Doctor Boyd and you are my third successful subject…"
Doctor Boyd was pretty unimpressive to look at. Skinny, short, with thinning blond hair and a rumpled brown suit. He was one of those men who, no matter how smart he was supposed to be, had never learned to look in people's eyes or express himself without stuttering. Frankly, he was used to dealing with brain dead undergrads and overawed grant committees. As he started to explain his process and his goals it became clear he had no idea what to do when faced with someone who did not bow down before his superior intellect. Arguing with a trained lawyer, he had no chance.
"So let me get this straight… It's January 1st, the year 2000. I've been in a coma since someone shot me in September. You are Dr. Boyd from Megapolis University and you say you found a way to heal me, bring me out of the coma and give me superpowers."
The thin middle-aged man nodded slowly.
"And now you want me and these other two chicks I've never met before to become superheroines and fight evil. Is that about right?"
"I suppose that's an accurate summation-"
"And you say that now I'm what? Super strong, fast, bullet proof and can fly?"
"Well, erm, actually all those are side-effects caused by the enhancement of your body's natural psychokinetic field through the use of what I call the Boyd Process, though to tell the truth I did not expect your flight powers to manifest quite so soon after you-"
"Right. Whatever. So who are you two again?"
The blond Swede looked visibly nervous. Even after last night's chase she had never expected Jillian to be so hostile to Dr. Boyd's proposal. In fact, to hear Jillian describe it the whole idea sounded foolish.
"My name is Vendla Alborg Ph.D., like you I was the victim of a criminal attack and Dr. Boyd saved my life-"
"Got it. And you?"
Kanika snarled, she had better things to do than listen to this white woman's hostility. If she was not interested in changing the world then who needed her?
"Kanika Ngala. I've got the same story."
"Right. OK. So what exactly is this superheroine plan of yours anyway? We hang out in our high-tech Hall of Justice waiting for Trouble Alerts and then fly out to fight whichever member of the Legion of Doom is attacking that week?"
"I hadn't really thought…"
"Or maybe we can be one of those confusing mutant teams where we recite long strings of dialogue while fighting our future children from an alternate reality?"
"I don't really follow…"
"We could be one of those extreme groups like the Blood Corps, with guns and shoulder pads and kill people by the hundred, how's that sound?"
"Killing people? I didn't think superheroes did that…"
"Hey! How about we do one of those surreal British things where instead of fighting people we have adventures based on obscure 17th century poems and worship a skinny goth guy and his albino sister?"
"Skinny goth guy? I'm afraid you've lost me…"
"Let's not get sidetracked here doctor. Instead let's ask how you plan to pay for this team of yours."
"I have my research grants…"
"Which are there for science not for a base on the moon or superhero costumes or anything like that. Besides from what you told me the process is so expensive you pretty much exhausted your funds when you treated me."
"I rather hope that with these successes more funding will be…"
"Except 'I rather hope' is not a budget plan doctor. What about insurance for the property damage we might commit, or lawyers to defend us if we are sued, or medical insurance if one of us in injured? How about having the local authorities to deputize us so we can make arrests? Have you even thought about these things?"
"No, now as you mention it I suppose I should consider…"
"Well you can consider all you want Doctor Boyd But I think the only conclusion I can reach today is…
Count.
Me.
Out.
I have absolutely no interest in flying around in my underwear fighting people with stupid names and getting cats out of trees. I'm already a hero, I'm a district attorney and I don't see any reason I need to do more."
"But your powers…"
"Hey, thanks, they'll come in handy if someone tries to shoot me again. And I suppose I'll save a fortune in cab fare once I get the hang of flying. Send me the bill when you get a chance, because I am out of here."
Vendla and Kanika found her again in the hotel lobby trying to get a flight to Toronto.
"No, I told you, I lost my credit card but I would still like to make a reservation…"
"No, my bank won't give me a new card because I'm legally dead…"
"No I don't have a passport because as I told you…"
"Yes I'm alive, of course I'm alive, I'm talking to you now aren't I?"
"Don't you hang up on me, don't you dare hang up on… Asshole."
Slamming the phone into its cradle she turned and saw the other two women.
"So I guess the persuasion part didn't work so now you two are back to strong-arm me huh?"
"Listen, Jillian, we just want to talk for a bit OK? Woman to woman. If you don't like what we have to say, then heck, I'll make sure you get a ticket back home."
"Fine, looks like I'm not going anywhere anyway."
Sitting in the hotel's overpriced rooftop bar, the three talked about their near-death experiences and surprising reawakenings. After escaping from terrorists trying to steal her research Vendla had nearly frozen to death in the forests of Sweden. It was just by luck that Dr. Boyd had been consulting at the University of Stockholm and had been able to test his technique on her. Since she had been saved, Vendla had grown nearly six inches and found her body had filled out considerably.
That got the three of them talking about their breasts were so much fuller and firmer since their transformations. After a bottle or two of wine they all agreed that was pretty cool.
Then Kanika talked about her own experiences. Like Jillian she had been a leader. Back in her homeland of Kenya she was well known as a founding member of African Congress of Women and an environmentalist. But her political opinions had attracted powerful enemies and, ultimately, a bullet in the head. Fortunately Dr. Boyd had been in Nairobi at the time. Smiling she and Vendla talked about how when the Kenyan woman regained consciousness she destroyed half the lab before Vendla was able to subdue her.
That got them talking about just how strong they had become. Vendla guessed they could lift as much as half a ton of weight at this point. And if Dr. Boyd's models were correct they might grow even stronger over time. After another bottle of wine they all agreed that was damn cool.
So then Jillian talked about her last day as a prosecutor and her first day as a superhuman (but definitely NOT a superheroine). She and Vendla described the rooftop chase in gripping detail to an envious Kanika until the Kenyan asked what happened after Jillian's flight. Jillian stalled and evaded and tried to change the subject but…finally admitted what she had done before they found her.
That got them on the subject of sex. Kanika ruthlessly grilled Jillian for details, forcing the Canadian woman to admit that super sex was absolutely mind-blowing thanks to her new and improved metabolism. The Kenyan and Canadian toasted to that but the Swede argued unconvincingly she wasn't at all interested in the idea. But her two companions definitely decided that was the coolest thing of all.
Which brought up the issue of…
"When will you see your fiancée?"
"My what?"
"Kent? The guy who signed you up for the Boyd Treatment? Y'know, your fiancée."
"That's what he said? The goddamn fucking little weasel…"
Which brought up the issue of how all men are scum. Which took two hours and four more bottles to fully cover.
And somehow that moved over to the topic of flying…
"The doctor has been telling us it's possible but we haven't been able to do it. What was it like?"
"It was like, I don't know, like swimming ay? I was so free, I could go anywhere, anywhere…It was incredible. To tell the truth I can't wait to try it again."
"Do you think we could?"
"I don't see why not…"
And so after another bottle and paying several hundred dollars to the bartender the trio of superwomen strolled out onto the terrace.
"I don't know…"
"Come on it's easy ay. Did you guys ever read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? All you have to do is throw yourself at the ground, and miss!"
And with that, the brunette took her new friends' hands and jumped.
When it was built in the 1930s the Megapolis Palace was one of the tallest buildings in the world, its eighty-four stories offered a commanding view of the great metropolis and the countryside. On a clear day you could see for over fifty miles. Even in the year 2000 its rooftop bar was still a favorite destination for tourists from around the world. The luxury suites on the top floors rented for more than $2000 a night.
None of that meant anything to the three falling women.
Like driving, flying while intoxicated is just a bad idea. The reflexes are slowed, decisions are reckless and mistakes are all too common.
It's an especially bad idea when it's only your second time flying. And you're bringing along two friends who've never done it.
So, they fell.
Time expanded. Somehow ten seconds became an eternity to the three drunken women as the hard cement sidewalks of Megapolis rushed up to meet them.
Vendla's icy façade cracked first, she started screaming like a little girl. After another second Jillian started muttering curses and prayers as the floors whipped by. But Kanika just laughed insanely like she was at an amusement park.
On the sixtieth floor a grandmother from Toledo saw them go past her window and called the police.
On a balcony around the fiftieth floor a businessman from New York getting a blowjob from his escort almost had a heart attack as they whipped by.
A Japanese tourist on the fortieth snapped a picture.
Three kids on the thirtieth floor ignored them completely and continued to watch the Lion King on VHS.
By the twentieth floor…
Jesus fucking Christ fly damnit, fly! Please oh God let me fly!
Hey are we moving slower?
If I must die… the ride was worth it!
Freezing his butt off, Parker hovered outside the Megapolis Palace with his camera. After meeting that weird chick last night he was still on edge, but he really needed money so he was hoping to snap some shots of celebrities and sell them to the paper. Around him people started pointing up, he whipped out his Nikon and aimed for the sky wondering what he was looking for. Maybe the Prince of Pop was dangling another baby out the window.
So he was the only photographer to cover the moment three falling women slowed, stopped in midair and took off across the city.
The paper refused to print the pictures though, cause the black girl wasn't wearing any panties.
"WOO-HOO!" Jillian cried all restraint and fear lost in her moment of ecstasy. Kanika shot right past her spinning like a top as she ascended above the rooftops. Vendla flew slowly and hesitantly at first but gained speed and confidence with each minute.
This time Jillian paid a bit more attention to how her flying worked. She had to concentrate and think which direction she would go in but she could also feel her muscles working, she had to use her entire body to propel and steer. She wondered if flying was good exercise.
Kanika shivered and laughed in the cold air. She wore only a green camisole and black skirt, coming from Kenya she had no idea what an American winter was really like. Her powers protected her from the worst of the cold, preventing frostbite or hypothermia but she felt chilled to her bones. But she ignored the cold, how could she let something like that prevent her from enjoying this! Shooting up higher than the others she passed right through a cloud soaking her clothes until they clung to every curve and muscle but she didn't care. She called down to the blond Swede far below her.
Still unable to believe what she was doing, Vendla concentrated hard and felt herself rise faster and faster until finally her hesitation and fear melted away and she was moving just as quickly as the black woman she pursued.
Ignoring the cold, the three rose above the city swooping at each other in a game of aerial tag until they finally found themselves exhausted on a rooftop far across town.
"S-so" Jillian panted "any of you know how to get back?"
The three laughed.
Sitting in his hotel room Doctor Boyd tried to focus on the reports in front of him. A woman in Japan and another in Argentina both seemed to have the psychic potential his process required. More importantly their histories indicated they were type of women who could be entrusted with the awesome powers they would receive.
But that just reminded how wrong he had been so far. There had been more than a dozen failures before the process had worked on Vendla. And several more before it worked again with Kanika and Jillian.
But that was to be expected, meta-human biology was still a new field and his psychokinetic activation process was highly experimental. Even after all these years he still could not explain why it only worked on women and not on men or why a near-death experience was essential before the activation would work. So failures in the process were sad but not surprising.
What was truly disappointing was Jillian's reaction to his invitation. For as long as he could remember he had dreamed of doing something to better the world and as his research had progressed he had started to imagine all the good his creations could accomplish. He dreamed of an army of superpowered women protecting the globe, fighting poverty and working towards world peace.
As a district attorney with a strong sense of justice he had believed that Jillian would be a natural catalyst for the group. In fact he had expected her to lead it. But listening to her objections the whole idea sounded almost…
Silly.
Was it just a pipe dream? Vendla was much more interested in his research and in learning more about meta-human biology than becoming a heroine. She had not turned him down but he could tell her only interest was out of politeness.
Kanika was even more worrying. She had very strong radical ideas about what should be done in the world and would no doubt use his team to cause all sorts of upsetting changes in the world order. He felt she could be useful on the team but under no circumstances could she ever be allowed to lead it.
No, if his team, if his Global Protectors was going to work they needed Jillian. She understands the law and how the world works, she would fight for order and not some crazy radical agenda and could keep the other two motivated and focused. If anything her objections today showed how well suited she is to the role.
If only she had taken it.
He sighed and poured himself a mineral water.
Everything had seemed looked so perfect. Why can't people be like experiments, when the circumstances are right they react as expected. Predictable, reliable, repeatable. Why did people have to be so random?
His thoughts were disturbed by a knock on the balcony door.
Cold wet tipsy and happy the trio stumbled into Boyd's hotel room all three simultaneously trying to tell him about their first flight. As he listened Boyd's spirits rose. Was she in?
This time, filled with euphoria after her flight, Jillian hesitated a minute before answering. Vendla and Kanika were a lot of fun, and it did seem a shame to let her powers go to waste… but then she pictured herself in spandex and answered:
"No. Way."
Three days later, her legal difficulties finally sorted out, Jillian Havre stood at Megapolis International Airport waiting to check in.
"Hey guys, no hard feelings right? I mean I really like you two but that whole…"
"No don't worry abut Jillian, you've actually got some good points, perhaps I would do the world more good as a scientist than as some sort of super police officer."
"I too have doubts about Doctor Boyd's plan. Surely Kenya needs my leadership more than America needs another flying swimsuit model."
"Gee guys don't just quit because of me, I mean there's nothing wrong with super heroics it's just not my thing ay."
"Mega Air Flight C11 to Toronto is now boarding at gate 6."
"Sorry guys, that's me but I've got your e-mails and we'll definitely stay in touch ay. Maybe next time I can fly down without a jet!"
The two laughed as Jillian waved goodbye to her new friends and headed off through security.
At the gate there was a delay of course. Too many holiday travelers finally heading home and not enough seats. Jillian found herself bumped and headed to the bar to kill some time.
As she nursed her Molsen's Jillian thought about her next move. She definitely needed to have a reckoning with her 'fiancee' Kent. Sure he was the one who'd signed her up for the Boyd Treatment and gotten her these powers but he had no right to make those decisions for her. Then she'd have to try and get her job back. A new DA had been appointed of course but she was sure her friends and contacts would be able to find something for her. How many times did people come back from the dead anyway?
An overweight man with a nice suit and a thick beard took the stool next to her. He sighed loudly and turned to her.
"Can you believe they bumped me? Me?" The stress on the word 'me' indicated she was supposed to recognize him. Jillian was in a bad mood but had been a lawyer and politician long enough to knew when an ego needs stroking.
"Unbelievable." She agreed enthusiastically. "Where are you headed?" she added hoping to get some clue who this man is.
"Kosovo of course, you know, the peace talks."
Jillian remembered something from the news about peace talks, which would mean this guy must be…
"Don't they know I'm the Chairman of the World Peace Institute?!" he added loud enough for the whole bar to hear. " Chairman Beauregard J Loveless III! Chief negotiator on the arbitration team for economic issues and they bump me out of first class because U2 has to get to a concert in London tonight!"
Jillian finally remembered him. Loveless was a diplomat who had won the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to the Mongolia-Mole Men war back in '89. He'd started his own version of the United Nations a while back and traveled the world doing good. An admirable man, but that didn't mean he wasn't an asshole.
"I told them again and again how important this is but these clerks just would not listen. How can we ever achieve world peace when people will not put aside their petty concerns!"
Jillian actually felt a pang of guilt at that one. Even if it was coming from a fat man bitching about not getting first class.
Loveless settled down and ordered a Manhattan on the rocks and the two sat in silence for a few minutes.
In the bar mirror Jillian saw a tall broad shouldered man walk in and head directly for them. The man stopped a few steps away and asked:
"Chairman Loveless?" (Which sounded more like Luffleff thanks to the man's thick Austrian accent)
"Yes, are you with the airline, here to apologize?"
The big man pointed his right hand at the chairman. "Chairman Loveless, the Serbian Purity Army sends its regards."
A plasma blast shot out at the Nobel Peace Prize winner...
In the lobby Vendla and Kanika waited on a long line for a cab.
"Come Vendla, we should just fly home."
"If it was dark maybe, but right now the doctor doesn't want the world to know about us. Not until we launch the team…"
"If we launch the team."
"There is that. Whatever happens though we have to give some thought to the doctor's research. Now that we know he can create superhumans there are a lot of groups that would be interested. The Americans, the Russians, UNICORN, Villainy eXtreme, Hydra, Cobra, Microsoft you name it. Once it becomes public we will have to do something to safeguard it and him or who knows how it might be abused."
"I don't see how that is my problem. Jillian was correct. The doctor's juvenile fantasies of superheroes are no reason for me to forget my old life. I will return to Kenya as soon as I can."
"But… don't you owe him something at least? He did save your life."
The African woman had no response for that.
Then the alarms started. The two superwomen looked at each other and took off running towards the emergency.
Like with the chase or the fall, time seemed to expand, split seconds became eternities. Jillian shoved the fat man off his stool before the plasma blast crossed more than a foot of distance. He had just been pushed clear and Jillian had taken his place as the blast finished its journey and struck her in the chest.
She screamed.
Kanika and Vendla shoved through the fleeing crowds heading against the stream towards whatever was happening.
They had not needed to discuss it or debate. There was no question that they had to help. Who else could?
The metal detectors were deserted except for two broad shouldered men in leather jackets blocking the way.
"Go away girlies!" One commanded in a thick Austrian accent.
"You don't belong here!" The other added.
Vendla hesitated, she'd never been in a fight, other than the one that cost her her life that is, and these guys looked pretty big. She looked to her companion for advice.
Kanika was already charging them with a guttural roar.
It's one thing to be told by a middle-aged scientist you're invulnerable.
It's quite another thing to be shot in the chest and see it is true.
The energy bolt had been stopped a millimeter from her skin by something the doctor called a 'psychokinetic field' some sort of natural force field that protected her and any clothes close enough to her skin.
It didn't do any good for her shirt, that was burned to ash. But at least it left her Victoria Secret bra intact.
The attacker blurred and shifted, dropping his holographic disguise to reveal a blue skinned, gray armored human-looking robot. Jillian remembered the pictures from Interpol files, Doctor Droid!
Droid was a fairly prominent supervillain who provided combat robots to other organizations, a few had even turned up in Canada in the hands of different groups. No one had ever seen the Doctor's face and he didn't really seem to have an agenda of his own, just building and supplying the deadliest robots he could.
Working for the Serbs was just his style and if Jillian hadn't been there…
Scowling, she charged the robotic terminator.
Kanika hit the first Austrian like a freight train smashing it into the x-ray machine. Surprisingly the man just got up, dusted himself off and charged right back at her.
Vendla saw them drop their disguises and hesitated again. Were they robots? Aliens? Cyborgs? She wished she knew more about these crazy super people.
Her hesitation was punished by a plasma bolt that incinerated her Old Navy fleece and sent her flying into the pretzel stand.
Kanika and the droid exchanged punches, each of her sledgehammer blows was matched by an equal one from her attacker. She could feel each impact but nothing got through her field, there was a bit of pain but no injury. Time started to expand again, she knew now that her mind and body were speeding up but it looked as though the robot was slowing to a crawl. She landed six blows to its chest before the machine could even land one. The robot went flying into the magazine rack and was buried under hundreds of J-Lo and Julia Roberts covers. She turned towards the other droid but it was already waiting for her with a plasma bolt.
Crawling out of the ruined pretzel stand Vendla headed for her attacker. Her top and the waist of her jeans had been reduced to ash forcing the well-endowed blonde to fight in a sports bra and panties with her jeans around her ankles. Without thinking about it she took a step forward tearing the jeans in half so she could walk. She grabbed the hundred pound pretzel cooker and tossed it at the robot seeing a nice dent appear where it struck the machine's head.
Kanika had not worn a bra that day, she found them uncomfortable and unnecessary since her body was now much firmer and tighter than it had ever been. So after taking a plasma blast her breasts were completely exposed. But in the excitement of battle she could not be bothered to care. With a growl she pulled the robot out of the ruined newsstand and grabbed its head. Pushing with all her might on either side she felt it start to buckle and compress until the titanium skull collapsed like an egg.
The two heroines turned towards the last robot.
Jillian grabbed the robot's hands pushing them up where they could not get a bead on the fleeing chairman. The robot responded by kicking her several times. Jillian grunted from the impact but kept going pushing him back and back again towards the plate glass window looking over the runway. She started to trot and then to run and finally she jumped through the glass taking the robot outside with her.
Her third flight was shorter than the other two, lasting just long enough for her to get over a fuel truck and slam-dunk the robot into it.
The droid let out a human sounding shriek before it was consumed in the flames.
The fire quickly incarcerated her remaining clothes leaving her in a bra and panties.
Exhausted Jillian landed back at the gate and looked around.
The Kenyan and Swedish women heard the explosion outside and hesitated for a second worried about their friend.
The last robot looked up as though it had gotten a message from somewhere. Turning on its heel the droid started running through the terminal yelling "Ah'll be bock!"
Kanika turned to follow but Vendla stopped her. "Jillian might need us."
They ran into the terminal together.
There they found a soot-stained Jillian helping Chairman Loveless out from under a pile of rubble.
The aged diplomat looked at the three semi-dressed women in astonishment. "What was that? Who are you people? Are you some kind of superheroines?"
Kanika and Vendla looked at each other and then at Jillian. Jillian looked around the airport, thinking how bad the damage had been and how much worse it would have been if she had not been there, if she had been working in a law office in Toronto…
She took a deep breath and considered her answer.
There really wasn't anything else she could do.
"I guess we are Chairman Loveless, you can call us… The Global Protectors!"
The last droid activated its holographic camouflage as soon as it was out of sight. No one questioned the aged Italian priest as he walked out of the airport and got in a modest sedan. He slid his hand into the hidden computer port and started the download.
Loveless was irrelevant of course. But the would-be world leader had provided a useful diversion and distraction.
These Boyd Girls were going to be very interesting subjects and the dumb bimbos weren't even aware they had been tested.
The Global Protectors – Dawn of the Millennium
The Global Protectors, Ultra Woman and Doctor Droid were created by none other than Doctor Droid (www.superstories.net/droidzone) and as such are copyright Doctor Droid. Other characters and text are copyright Marcus Lycus.
This story is meant for people over the age of 18, please don’t read it if you are younger than that. Any resemblance between characters in this story and any actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental of course.
And finally, please e-mail me with any comments, complaints or suggestions. Remember feedback leads to more stories!
Marcus Lycus
Chapter 3 - Rookie Mistakes
They'd been waiting more than a month for this chance. Weeks of training and practice and arguing and planning, all for this.
Members of the Wulf Pak were holed up in the bank. The Megapolis police had it surrounded but did not dare to move in. The street gang had some serious firepower and fifteen hostages. They trying to negotiate, but like the police in most major cities they were really just waiting for a superhero to come along and take care of things.
They were about to get three heroines.
Across the street Megapolis' newest champions looked on from a rooftop.
"Everyone ready?" Jillian asked enthusiastically.
Kanika smiled hungrily imagining herself beating the weak gang-bangers to a pulp. Stupid kids with guns had ruined more than one country in Africa and she was eager to vent her frustrations on their kin in the United States.
Vendla's response was a bit more timid. Even after a month of training with her two teammates (it still sounded strange) she was afraid in a fight, afraid she might be too weak and just as afraid she might make a mistake and seriously hurt someone. Trained as a scientist, she still thought much too much in a fight. But this was it, their debut and she wasn't going to let her fear stop her from being there.
"And remember to use our superhero names ay? We're trying to keep our identities secret." Jillian knew she should not need to add this, they'd been over it a hundred times but it was hard. She just felt silly calling Kanika by some made up name and all three of them had made mistakes in practice. Hopefully they would be OK today.
"All right, we're going to start with that hover maneuver we practiced last week, hopefully that will scare them a bit, then it's the old three-pronged attack. Our top priority is the hostages, if the gang bangers get away that's fine, so long as we save the hostages. Got it?"
The other two nodded.
"Then…"
Jillian fought down the butterflies in her stomach.
"Let's go!"
"F'ing pigs!" Leon yelled firing his Ingram in the general direction of Megapolis' finest. He was pissed. It was supposed to be a simple fucking bank job, go in, get out with $20, $30k no one gets hurt, fifteen minutes tops. Except for the two cops who walked in halfway through. Now he and his buddies from the Wulf Pak were trapped in the bank and he was trying to figure a way out. He picked up the bullhorn.
"We want uh… ten millions dollars, in uh, gold and uh a helicopter that will take us to uh, Cuba. Yeah. And I want uh, a case of diet Doctor Pepper and uh Brittany Spears on board the chopper, yeah. Got it pigs?" he fired another burst from his submachine gun to punctuate his point.
Detective Mulligan ducked behind his car and rolled his eyes. Usually he didn't buy it when the liberals said poor education is the cause of crime but these days… hell they need to improve the schools just so the punks' demands would make more sense.
"We have heard your terms and are considering them, please stay calm." He yelled into his bullhorn. "You should get that around the time hell freezes over." He added under his breath.
"Where the hell is Ultra Woman?" He whispered to Sergeant Sharpe. "We called for her a half hour ago!
"Probably doing her fucking nails. Damn superchicks, why can't we work with Nightbat or the Penalizer, at least they're not going to make us wait while they're at the salon."
For some reason Megapolis had always attracted many more heroines than heroes, a fact the notoriously chauvinistic police force was forever lamenting. Mulligan was fucking tired of dealing with underdressed nymphets who could rip apart mountains. Some days it was like trying to run an investigation with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders standing around. Heck, that literally what it had been like when he'd worked with Bikini Force to catch the Scarlet Surfer. Thank God they'd retired after that battle with Captain Cellulite and Commander Calorie. Since then things had been pretty quiet on the heroine front. He just hoped that if, or when, a new batch popped up they'd at least get a heroine who's fully dressed and has a brain in her head.
Which is when he heard a woman overhead yell "Let's go!"
He didn't recognize the voice, and for him that just meant another ulcer…
"Attention evildoers we are the Global Protectors!" Jillian yelled in the direction of bank and then caught herself. Evildoers? Did she just say evildoers? Well no time to start over, she just had to keep going.
"Release the hostages and surrender peacefully! This is your only warning!"
Jillian planted her hands on her hips to hide her nervousness. She remembered Linda Carter doing that a lot in the old Ultra Woman show and it always looked cool.
She was hovering in midair in front of the bank with her hands on her hips and her legs apart. Vendla and Kanika were doing the same behind her. She didn't want to think about the crowds around them but she couldn't help but wonder what everyone thought of their new costumes.
Fighting over costumes had consumed most of the last month. They had learned in their first battle anything the girls wanted to wear would have to be skintight or it would be destroyed pretty fast. They'd had to flee the airport before reporters arrived just to preserve their modesty.
As Jillian said "what kind of heroines would we be if we keep losing our clothes?"
Vendla had argued for sensible jump suits with kevlar pockets for carrying cell phones, handcuffs and other gear but Jillian had surprised her by vetoing it. Jillian argued that after a decade of 'extreme' heroes like the Blood Corps or the Ex-Titians people were tired of drab utilitarian costumes. Sometimes there's just nothing like going back to a classic look.
Besides as Kanika pointed out they were three beautiful women in perfect condition, it would be shame to hide that under a concealing outfit.
Or as Jillian put it "you've gotta sell the product."
Vendla finally came around after Jillian made up some bullshit about revealing costumes being proven to distract male opponents. Who knows? It could even be true.
So they'd started looking at colorful costumes, everything from Ms. Americana's bikini (too slutty!) to Crimson Hawk's retro costume (too 50's!) to Comet Girl's halter-top and miniskirt (too mall rat!) to the Asian Avenger's body paint (too much work!). But, in the end their meager budget made the decision easy.
Chairman Loveless had graciously offered them a small grant to get started. But even with that and the three girls' savings there wasn't much money to spare. What little they had was being consumed with simple living expenses. Custom costumes made of unstable molecules and nanotechology would have to wait a while longer.
Luckily they'd been able to find some one-piece swimsuits printed with the Canadian, Kenyan and Swedish flags. The tight spandex suits would be protected by their force fields while the national flags would ensure they had a unifying theme but still give them individual identities. Plus it sent a strong international unity, world village sort of message that would resonate with the public.
Matching thigh-high boots, half face masks and elbow length gloves finished the costumes. The thigh-highs provided a place they could put their cell phones, gave them a bit more modesty but still looked sexy as all hell. Jillian had insisted they add masks to the outfits, she liked the idea of being able to take off the costume and not worry about people identifying her or following her home. Or suing her for that matter. Off-the-rack facemasks held in place by spirit gum hid her identity perfectly while still allowing people to see her pretty face. The matching gloves ensured no one would get their fingerprints and added some balance to the costume's colors.
They'd only finalized the costumes the day before, today was the first time they'd worn the whole ensemble.
Jillian really hoped the costumes were worth the work.
Leon could not believe his eyes. There was a Goddamn Miss Universe pageant hovering outside. The leader was a brunette dressed up in the Canadian flag and Miss Sweden and Miss Zulu Warrior or something were right there next to her. It was so ridiculous he just had to laugh.
Jillian heard the laughter and turned red. Four weeks of hard work and this shithead was laughing at them! Forgetting her own plan she flew through the front door and clocked the gang leader in the face.
Confused, the other two followed her lead inside taking on two more gangers.
The was leader down but Jillian was still savagely kicking him while screaming insults "How you like it if I laugh at your stupid gang wear huh? A wolf head, well that's original! Oh but you spell it 'W-U-L-F' so that makes it cool?"
Kanika crushed her target's AK-47 easily and smashed his head into a marble column for good measure. Vendla punched her target putting him out with minimal amount of force and damage. Which took care of three of them.
Too bad there were four.
Don recovered from the shock of seeing a Canadian flag with cleavage stomp on his leader and realized he had to do something or he was next. He grabbed the nearest hostage, a fifty-year old teller, and held his Desert Eagle to her head. "Back off bitches or I'll waste 'er you hear!"
Jillian froze in mid kick. 'My God, what have I done?'
She and her teammates took a step back.
"Listen…" she said impotently "just, just put the gun down, we'll let you go, just don't hurt anyone…"
"FUCK YOU BITCH! Back off now or granny here is getting a new earlobe!"
Kanika started to take a step forward but Jillian restrained her. Not even the Kenyan was faster than a bullet. Vendla was just looking at the floor in utter despair.
Don woke up Mike, Leon and Ralph with kicks and got them on their feet.
Powerless the three heroines stood aside and let the four gang members walk outside. Vendla grit her teeth as Ralph grabbed her ass on the way by.
When he saw the cops Don called back "Hey Miss Canada get out her and make sure they let us go! Come on or we'll be short a hostage."
Jillian wanted to cry but she knew what she had to do. As a lawyer she'd been forced to drop charges before and watch guilty men go free. It wasn't easy but she could do it.
"Officers. We… we have promised them safe passage out of here, please let them through."
Mulligan grit his teeth. Not just new heroines, but incompetent idiots too. He was tempted to have his men open fire in the hopes the new girls would be 'accidentally' shot. But that was the stuff of daydreams, he was a frustrated cop but a good one. Deep, deep down inside.
"Fine. Come down here, you can have this unmarked car. Release the hostages and we'll give you a ten minutes head start. That's your final offer."
Inside he knew that whatever happened he was going to make these new girls lives hell.
Six hours later the Global Protectors walked wearily out of Police Headquarters. Their ears were still ringing from Mulligan's insults and curses, he'd done everything short of throwing them in jail. If it hadn't been for Jillian's skillful legal defense he just might have.
The only good part had been the hostages thanking them for saving their lives. At least that was something.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea" Vendla muttered voicing all of their concerns.
"To be honest I am glad it is over. Those men were all staring at our breasts the whole time we were in there. And I saw some of them e-mailing our mug shots!"
"Guys come on, we just had a bit of bad luck. Tomorrow we can try again."
"A bit of bad luck!? You are the one who broke with the plan! Your own plan!"
"FINE! You want me to admit I made a mistake, then fine, I fucked up! Next time you can be in charge!"
"What makes you think there will be next time?"
"Excuse me ladies, are you the Global Protectors?"
Jillian spun around but it was just two older men a smiling tall man with a notebook and a stockier man with a cigar and camera. Reporters. Jillian unconsciously fixed her hair and turned her good side towards the camera.
"Name's Stan, this is Jack, we cover super issues for the Megapolis Marvel, I do the words, he does the pictures. I've been covering supers for gosh, forty years now. Jack there's been at it even longer, about as long as there have been superheroes practically. Mind answering a few questions?"
"Uh…"
"Nothing about today of course, that was just some bad luck, and who wants to read about heroines being defeated anyway? Only sickos and freaks that what I say. I figure today was just water under the bridge and this will be like a fresh start. 'Meet the Protectors' something for tomorrow's superheroes section."
Disagreements forgotten, the girls eagerly crowded around the two reporters. After Kanika and Vendla had been questioned they turned to Jillian.
"And you miss, what are you called?"
Jillian stuck out her chest for the camera, smiled and proudly said "They call me… The Prosecutor!"
Unlike the costume, a name had been easy for Jillian. The Prosecutor! Simple, strong, and it tied in with her old career, a perfect superhero name.
"Prosecutor?" Stan asked sounding disappointed. He looked at his partner who shook his head.
"She'll have the Penalizer, the Punisher, the Protector and the Persecuter lining up to sue her in no time. Plus look at that costume, there's nothing there that says 'Prosecution' maybe if you looked like a lawyer…"
"But…"
"Plus you got that whole Canadian theme going in the costume, your name should tie into that."
"But…"
Stan nodded. "Tell you what true believer, we've got till tomorrow right, let me and Jack see what we can come up with OK? We've been at this a long time and sometimes it's better to leave the naming up to the professionals."
"But…"
The two reporters walked away chatting about possible names.
"Aurora?"
"Snowbird?" "Wolverine Woman?"
As they reached the corner Jack turned back and called out "By the way… those are GREAT costumes!"
Stan added a big thumbs up and cried out "Excelsior!"
And then they were gone.
The next morning Jillian got up first and started some coffee. She sat in the kitchenette watching the clock and waiting for the paper. How bad would they end up looking? If the paper stressed the story of their humiliation there was no way she'd be able to get the other two out again. Hell, she wouldn't be able to show her face again. But if they got off OK…
A door opened and Vendla walked in wearing a short thin tee shirt and translucent panties, her nipples and bush clearly showing through the threadbare cotton. With a critical eye Jillian appraised her teammate's form. Much too tall Jillian decided, and her breasts were too large and awkward. There's no way men would find her attractive, especially with all that blond hair, everyone knows men prefer earth toned auburn hair.
For her part Vendla was embarrassed by her outfit (purchased when she was quite a bit smaller in all respects) and hoped Jillian wasn't judging her.
Kanika walked in next stretching in her thin green nighty. Jillian decided her lean muscular limbs were too butch, men wouldn't like them either.
No. Although her ego had taken a blow the day before, Jillian had reaffirmed herself by deciding that she was easily the most attractive of the three. She smiled to herself and nodded.
For her part, Kanika was wondering if the two had heard her last night or seen the bellboy sneak out around dawn. Not that she cared if they had.
When they heard the light thud against the door they almost had a catfight as all three dashed out to get the paper first. Kanika's faster reflexes won out and she held it up for the other two to see.
"OK, page 1 - Ultra Woman Defeats Cartel!"
"Right. Page 2 - Ultra Girl Defeated by SPAY!"
"Very well. Maybe we're on page 3, nope that's Ultra Man saves Kentucky!"
"Ms. Americana, Amber, Asian Avenger, Butterscotch Fox, Solar Woman and Comet Girl, Avenging League of Justice, Bikini Force retrospective… ah here we are! Rookie Heroines Let Robbers Escape. That's not good…"
The read it in silence.
"Detective Mulligan declined to identify the rookie heroines involved saying 'What's the point? You've never heard of them and it's not like they'll ever show their faces in this town again.' Ultra Woman agreed adding 'Super heroics should be left up to professionals, not amateurs. No one wants another Bikini Force fiasco.'"
Jillian let out a sigh of relief. "Thank heavens, they don't mention our names. Now what about Stan and Jack?"
"Here they are down with used car ads… 'New International Superhero Team Debuts - Last night your reporter had the honor of meeting three new heroines committed to the cause of world peace and understanding, the Global Protectors. Their leader…'" Kanika started giggling and Jillian snatched the paper from her hand.
"What? What?" She scanned quickly…
"'Their leader the Canadian heroine known as MAPLE LEAF'?!?! What the fuck? I sound like a hockey team."
Vendla put her hand on Jillian's shoulder "It's not that bad a name, and you do have a big Maple Leaf on your boobs."
"Well looks like he kept your name 'Valkyrie a statuesque blonde from Sweden is the team's science expert…' That's something at least."
"Hmm, yes. I've been thinking a lot about that name actually. Vendla… Vendla is who I was, she was small and weak and afraid. I no longer wish to use that name I think. From now on I think I would like to be called Valkyrie."
Jillian looked at her teammate wondering what issues were lurking behind her cold blue eyes, but that was a question for another time. "Sure I guess, do you mind if we call you Val for short though?"
Valkyrie thought about that for a second. "No that should be fine."
"Enough! Where am I in there? Read my description."
"I'm getting to it, I'm getting to it. Ah here 'The third member is the savage African woman…"
"Savage African? Could he be more clichéd?"
"named Tigress."
"Tigress? What happened to Lioness? There aren't any Tigers in Africa! Tigers come from Asia!"
"Not a bad name though, sort of rolls off the tongue better than Lioness. Heck of a lot better than Maple Leaf, I mean who's going to be scared of someone named Maple Leaf ay?"
They all laughed.
"So guys, I guess we're still good? The Global Protectors are go?"
The other two nodded.
"Maple Leaf, Tigress and Valkyrie! That's a pretty good little line up there. Ready to take on the world!"
"After breakfast of course."
Part 4 - Beginner's Luck
After breakfast the three heroines took off from the balcony to follow up on yesterday's fiasco. Maple Leaf's contacts in Toronto had pulled the Wulf Pak's Interpol file which identified a dozen safe houses in the old warehouse district. She reasoned that if they could find the robbers and bring them in Mulligan would have to eat his words. Besides she wanted them. She wanted them badly.
They split up, each checking some possible safe houses while staying in touch by cell phone. Maple Leaf didn't expect the gang bangers to be too much trouble without hostages to hide behind but it didn't pay to take chances. As soon as one of them saw something she'd call in the others and they'd take care of them together. No screw-ups this time.
Don was getting tired of killing time in the old warehouse watching porn and playing cards. Leon was still out of it with some broken ribs but they couldn't take him to the hospital just yet. There was nothing to but sit around going stir crazy till the cops forgot about them.
He'd just walked out for a cigarette when the stranger walked up. A big guy with close cropped hair and broad shoulders. He considered capping the guy just on general principles for stepping on to Wulf Pak turf but that would pretty much blow the whole safe house thing so he decided to play it cool.
"Yeah?"
"Donatello" a heavily accented voice barked "you don't know me but we have some friends in common. Three little girls on their way now. Would you like to entertain them?"
Don listened attentively.
Navigating the old warehouse district was harder than Maple Leaf expected. None of the streets were numbered they all had these weird random names and all the old warehouses looked alike. Plus it was just endless, it seemed like a heroine could spend her whole career exploring abandoned warehouses.
But after criss-crossing the neighborhood a few times she finally found her first destination (empty) and set out for the next one, the old Mirage warehouse at the corner of Eastman and Laird.
Once she found it, Maple Leaf settled on a roof across the street. Since her rebirth she had noticed her eyes and ears were getting sharper by the day. Even from 100 yards away she had no trouble seeing inside the windows and hearing the conversations inside.
Bingo.
"Should've seen those dumb bitches…"
"Duh, I'm like Captain Canada, let me hold the door for you…"
"See the rack on the blond one?"
"Get a load of this, the paper says the brunette's named 'Maple Leaf'! Can you believe that?"
Jillian grit her teeth and reached for her cell phone, oh they would make them pay…
"Global Protectors? They're even dumber than Bikini Force"
In fact fuck it. She'd make them pay herself.
Teamwork forgotten, Maple Leaf flew right for the front door.
The rotting wood doors easily gave way as she shot through catching the four gangers by surprise. The losers didn't even have their weapons handy.
Confident (and why shouldn't she be, these were just four scared punks and she was a superheroine) she landed and assumed her Linda Carter pose. With a big smile she flounced her hair and said.
"Mmph!"
Something heavy landed on her back, the impact knocking her over. She tried to cry out but a sweet-smelling cloth had been jammed over her nose and mouth, chloroform filled her lungs. Her vision started to blur, her legs went weak, she stumbled and fell.
Her last conscious thought was "It's not fair."
The blue skinned droid retrieved a cell phone from her high red boot.
"This one's mine. You boys want the blonde or the black girl?"
"BLONDE!" they yelled together.
Valkyrie had just finished checking out the spooky EC warehouse when her phone rang. She landed and pulled it out.
"Eastman and Laird? You'll call Kani-I mean Tigress? OK then. I'm on my way."
But when she arrived Valkyrie wasn't sure what to do. After circling the building a few times there was no sight of Maple Leaf. The smashed door seemed to indicate which way her leader had gone. But why would Maple Leaf go in without backup? Unless something had happened!
Val thought about calling Tigress but there was no time to lose, Maple Leaf might be in danger! Besides, what could the gangers have that could threaten her?
Somehow it never occurred to the overconfident heroine that those two ideas contradicted each other.
Careful to avoid the front door she positioned herself over the warehouse's skylight and dropped straight down figuring she would catch the gangers by surprise.
And she might have. If it had not been 10am on a bright and sunny day.
Valkyrie landed smoothly in the center of the rotting warehouse and assumed what Maple Leaf called the heroine pose. She was pleased to find her targets standing there waiting for her, all of them unarmed but, strangely, not surprised to see her.
Still she smiled and said "I am Valkyrie of the Global Protectors. Surrender before someone gets hurt."
"Too late!" A thickly accented voice called out behind her.
She spun and saw Doctor Droid's droid holding an unconscious Maple Leaf in his hands. She took a step forward.
"One more step and I break her neck."
Valkyrie froze. She knew that the Global Protectors' power of invulnerability did not come from rock-hard skin like the Incredible Behemoth or Ultra Man. It was produced by a psychic force field generated by their minds. When they were asleep, exhausted or unconscious the girls were just as vulnerable as any other woman.
She could feel the gangers walking up behind her.
"Wh-what do you want?" Her voice wavered, her icy composure was cracking.
"I want her and they want you." The droid answered.
"You'll never take me-"
"They don't have to. Do what you're told and Maple Leaf doesn't get hurt. Got it?"
Valkyrie's heart raced, how could this have happened? Every instinct told her to fly out now! She could escape and call Tigress, or the police or Ultra Woman and let them take care of this. But her heart wouldn't let her. The Canadian was her teammate, her friend and in many ways her sister. She couldn't just leave her, she… she cared deeply for her.
The droid squeezed a bit, Val imagined she could hear bones cracking.
"OK! Okay… I'll… just don't hurt her."
The droid tossed the unconscious Canadian over its shoulder and headed for the basement.
"Well boys, she's all yours."
Tigress sniffed the air of the old Milestone warehouse smelling the foul stench of unwashed bodies and urine. This whole area was nothing but a cesspool of unwanted humanity and forgotten dreams. But the hope of catching those four kept her going.
They had humiliated her and humiliated her new team making them seen ineffective and foolish.
Tigress was still new to the superheroine game but she knew she would never let anyone embarrass the Global Protectors again.
"Hey sistah, you a heroine?" A toothless old black man stumbled towards her. "Don't see too many black heroines around. Y'know I used to be a hero, the best damn hero ever, Icon they called me, ever hear of Icon and Rocket? We were the shit back in the day…"
Tigress gave the madman a shove sending him flying into a pile of old comic books. Then she strolled out into the sun and took out the cell phone from her boot. Maybe one of the others had had more luck.
Don, Mike, Leon and Ralph sat down on some old packing crates facing the heroine. Ralph took out a camcorder he'd stolen from some guy's car and Mike whipped out an old disposable camera from somewhere. Leon pulled out a couple of beers and passed them around.
Valkyrie slammed her eyes shut and tried to forget what was happening. Back, before her rebirth Vendla Alborg had been a short skinny girl built like a twig of no interest to Swedish boys who had a large selection of tall amazons to choose from. She'd fooled around a few times with boys at school but always felt shy and awkward. Even after the Boyd treatment turned her into a statuesque beauty she had not adjusted to the idea of men staring at her. Now, feeling her captors' lurid glares on her body she didn't know if she could stand it. She wanted to hide, to run, to cry but did not dare.
"Come on girl, take it off!"
Valkyrie hesitated. There must be another option. But she couldn't think of a thing.
The sounds of Abba's 'Dancing Queen' filled the warehouse.
"Hey guys hold up, you hear that?" Mike pointed to Val's tall boot, the top was vibrating. "Hey blondie, what's that?"
"M-my cell phone…"
The gangers laughed again. "Cell phone? I thought you guys all had high tech stuff, not fucking cell phones."
The song started again.
"Well take it out, carefully now, don't answer it."
Valkyrie did as she was told.
"You you're super strong and shit right?" Val nodded. "So crush it, come on, smash that puppy like an egg. Do it! Or we'll crush your buddy like an egg."
Crying under her mask, Val pulverized the expensive cell phone, cutting off any hope of calling for help.
Tigress got Valkyrie's voice mail and left a message. She tried Maple Leaf's line, the Canadian picked up on the first ring.
"No luck yet?"
"OK I'll check out the west side. Call me if you see anything."
Taking to the air Tigress thought that Maple Leaf might be getting a cold, she sounded a bit strange on the phone.
Val watched the bits of plastic fall to the floor, feeling more alone and helpless than she ever had before. The boys laughed and chugged their beers.
"Now where were we? Oh yeah, take if off sister, show us your titties!"
Val looked down at her boots then up again at the gangers. What choice did she have? As ordered, Valkyrie reached for her shoulder straps and started to peel off her spandex swimsuit.
"Slowly! Slowly blondie, don't rush things." The others hooted and howled.
Val felt her pale skin turn red with shame as she pulled her arms out of the straps and exposed her large round breasts. The gang-bangers went silent with awe.
The quiet made things a bit easier. She just pretended she was alone in her room, changing clothes. She peeled the suit down, down, lower and lower on her taunt muscular stomach until she felt cold air on her mound of silky golden hair. She let go of the spandex suit and it fell to the floor.
The gangers yelled and cheered, Val threw one arm across her breasts and the other in front of her crotch and cringed. She crossed her legs grateful for the long boots that at least covered part of her. Other than the boots she had only her gloves and mask for modesty. Valkyrie should have had nothing to fear, she had the power to crush any of these criminals, but being naked in front of them terrified her. What else would they make her do?
Ralph got up and started walking around her filming her from every side. His buddy Don sauntered over behind her and reached up to her hair pulling out the bun. Val felt her long hair come free, the end of it brushing the top of her round ass. Don's thick fingers closed around her wrists and started to pull her hands away from her body. She resisted and for a second considered cutting loose with the power she commanded but he stuck his tongue in her ear and then whispered "remember we got Captain Canada downstairs, make any trouble and she's meat."
Val thought of poor brave Maple Leaf in the hands of the droid and resolved to do anything, anything she had to do to protect her teammate.
She let the ganger pull her hands away exposing everything to the camera.
The boys whistled.
It wasn't enough.
Don stuck his knee between her legs and forced her thighs apart showing her pretty pink slit to the camera eye. Ralph got down on hands and knees to film it. Val cringed in shame, the few times she had fooled around had always been in the dark, under covers, no man had ever looked upon her most private place.
Ralph reached up with his free hand…
Doctor Boyd arrived back at the hotel around two. He'd left the lab early to prepare his speech for the Kirby Foundation about his successful process. Now that the team was going public (he smiled thinking of how successful the girls would be) he could finally present his process to the scientific community.
The suite was empty of course, the girls were off pursuing villains somewhere so he took out his laptop and went to work on the presentation.
After a while the phone rang.
"Hello, yes this is Doctor Boyd."
"No, I don't know anyone named Doctor Diord… Diord… Diord…"
His eyes glassed over. He listened for a few minutes and hung up. Then he e-mailed a copy of his research paper and the girls' psychological profiles to a certain address and erased the message from his 'sent messages' folder.
He blinked a few times.
"Hrm… must have lost track of time."
He went back to writing.
Once again Jillian awoke with a scream. She could feel her eyes were open but she could see only darkness, even her enhanced eyes could not find a trace of light. The Canadian heroine could feel she was sitting in a stiff-backed metal chair and that someone had removed her leotard. She could still feel her boots, gloves and mask but her body was completely bare except for some electrodes and wires stuck to it. She tried to move but felt heavy metal manacles constraining her arms and legs. Her body was still weak from the gas and her strength had not returned.
How humiliating. Her second mission and she had been captured and stripped like a caricature in some superheroine porn story. She bet Ultra Woman and Ms. Americana never had days like this.
No matter what happens, she decided, I'm never taking off on my own again. Nothing but team work for me from now on. Surely with her teammates around nothing like this would ever happen again.
"Hello?" She called out. The only sound that came back was some dripping water. She tested the bonds again, there was no give. Playing out her memories of being captured she figured something out.
"Pretty elaborate trap for a bunch of gangers." She said aloud. "I'd bet there's more to this than there seems, I bet there's someone else involved here, huh Doctor Droid?" There was no answer. "And since you didn't just kill me I figure there's a reason you want me alive. So why don't you stop this bullshit and just come out and tell me ay?"
She waited for an answer, none came.
"Well?" She demanded, "Aren't you going to do something?"
She twitched when she felt the first shock. Was that it? Was Doctor Droid just going to electrocute her? There was another shock, gentler this time, around her nipples, then one on her inner thigh. Actually, they were feeling pretty good. She caught herself moaning softly. She bit her tongue to stop.
"I don't know what you think this will achieve but…ohhhhh…"
An incredible feeling of warmth and well being washed over her as the electrical stimulators found her rhythm. Maple Leaf blushed as she felt her vagina grow moist and the lips part slightly.
'At least no one can see me…' she thought.
In the complete darkness she had no way of knowing that ten feet away a droid watched her with infrared eyes, sending the footage back for study. With her phone connected to the droid's CPU it intercepted another call from Tigress and sent her off to Bohemian Village to check out a fake lead.
Maple Leaf gasped when the first dildo slipped between her legs. Jillian Havre knew the sensation, she was quite familiar with the tools available to career women who don't have time for a boyfriend, but this was different. Softer, warmer, better formed, thrusting in and out in a carefully measured pace, stopping and spinning and changing directions in a way no live man ever could. This was no $10 vibrator, this was a work of art!
When the orgasm hit she let out a wild yell of abandon.
Gasping for breath she sat slumped in the chair wishing for a cigarette.
"If this is your idea of torture" she muttered "bring it on."
Of course back in the old days she would have been done for the night or even the week but now…
Her superhuman physiology recovered in minutes, and the process started again. Maple Leaf started to panic, how many times would she be able to endure this?
After the first five, she no longer cared.
Val no longer cared what anyone thought of her. She squirmed and moaned as Ralph and Don caressed her stroking her body and violating her with their fingers. She thought she had had sex before, thought that she didn't care for it but now… she'd had no idea her body could feel like this. Burning and melting and exploding all at once.
When Don leaned down to kiss her, she opened her mouth to receive him.
She slammed her eyes shut and threw back her head shuddering for almost a minute as Ralph's whole fist entered her. He pulled it out with a wet pop and Valkyrie's magnificent body collapsed like a rag doll in Don's arms.
They carried her over to a packing crate and lay her down on it. For a few minutes with no one stimulating her she began to recover her senses. The droid was gone and so was Maple Leaf, she had to find them. She sat up and saw the four playing rock-paper-scissors and Leon won. He limped towards her unbuckling his jeans. Faced with an injured ordinary human Valkyrie started to feel confident she stood up and prepared to confront him, costume or no she was still a superheroine!
"That's enough! Now let me go or…"
The ganger just grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back down, Valkyrie realized she was exhausted, and as her stamina had fled so had her superhuman powers. She was weak as a normal woman now, maybe even weaker. Leon dropped his boxers and thrust into her. It hurt for a few seconds but soon her body began to respond, overpowering her fear and disgust with overwhelming waves of pleasure. She didn't even notice it when her mouth started chanting "yes… more…" again and again.
Leon didn't last all that long. What man could when screwing an incredibly tight, perfectly formed woman writhing in heat? He shot his load and began to fade.
Luckily Mike was there to pick up the slack.
Lost in a sea of pleasure Valkyrie barely noticed the change in partners.
Tigress called Maple Leaf again demanding answers. Where was she? Where was Valkyrie and why were they sending her all over the city?
Maple Leaf tried to overrule her and send her to search the top floor of Roebuck Tower. Tigress got an idea.
"Maple Leaf, do you remember the first time we flew?"
"Yes of course."
"Where were we?"
"That's not important now. Do as you're told."
Tigress hit the 'end' button with a shaking finger. She realized Maple Leaf and Valkyrie had been captured and somehow someone had been impersonating her friend all afternoon.
But where were they?
Thinking back, the only clue she had was how the fake Maple Leaf had tried to keep her out of the old warehouse district, sending her everywhere in the city except for where they had originally been searching.
She remembered the original list of possible safehouses. It should not take too long to find them.
After they had all had two goes (three for Ralph) the gangers were exhausted. Pausing to tie up their prisoner they stumbled outside into the evening air to enjoy some smokes.
"Y'know what we ought to do? We ought to sell her on the internet! Man I bet some guy would spend a fortune for a hot heroine like that."
"Geeze man, that's just sick, where'd you get a perverted idea like that?"
"No man, we can make a lot of money."
"Whatever."
"What do you figure the robot's doing with Canada Girl in the basement?"
Val kneeled in the corner ashamed. Her hands had been tied behind her back and she had been leashed to a column. She had been so proud of herself, had felt so strong and so powerful but now she had been beaten by four punks. Not just beaten, she had been humiliated, broken. They had made her enjoy it.
She remembered crying out for more when they had finished and begging them as they walked outside.
But once they were gone the lust had faded and been replaced by shame. Shame and anger.
How dare they touch her. How dare they laugh at her. She was strong now, strong and brave. Not weak. She wasn't mousy little Vendla anymore she was Valkyrie, a Norse myth reborn for the 21st century. Invulnerable, fearless, invincible.
A new fire burned in Valkyrie's breast, she decided then and there that no one would ever use this weakness against her. She would never again allow a man to touch her.
With renewed strength she easily tore the ropes and got to her feet. Her costume was still lying on the floor where she had dropped it. Once she was clothed Valkyrie felt like a heroine once again. She looked at the open door and considered going after the gang but then her keen ears caught soft moans from downstairs. Moving as quietly as she could in high-heeled boots she crept towards the cement stairs.
Maple Leaf hadn't even noticed the second dildo entering her from the rear except to feel herself ascend to a new level of stimulation. Her voice was hoarse from hours of moans and cries and the chair's internal IV system had kicked in to prevent her from dehydrating.
But still her body craved more. There seemed to be no limit to how many times her superhuman anatomy could cum. Or how powerful the orgasms could get.
She didn't care anymore about being a prisoner or why this was happening. She didn't want to be rescued, she could barely think about anything but the next orgasm, and the one after that, and the one after that.
The droid detected Valkyrie's arrival and headed for the sewer grate, slipping into the storm tunnels minutes ahead of Val's arrival. It had finished its observations and had to prepare the next and final stage of the study. Besides, the hidden cameras and feedback from the chair's sensors would cover anything important.
Valkyrie could hear her friend panting and moaning but couldn't see anything nor could she hear anyone else. She fumbled along the wall for a few minutes until she located a light switch.
She gasped when she saw Maple Leaf's condition. It was horrible enough that her friend had been captured and molested but even worse was the look of pure animal hunger on Jillian's normally composed face. A look Valkyrie had shared just minutes ago.
"What did Boyd do to us?"
But her horror lasted only a few seconds, she had to free Maple Leaf, bring her back to her senses!
Tigress had heard enough. She'd been able to land across the street from the old Mirage warehouse without being seen and her keen ears had quickly caught the ganger's bragging about their exploits.
It had taken every bit of self-restraint not to attack them immediately but she had to know where her friends were and if they were safe.
Several minutes of listening to their perverted conversation told her all she needed to know, Valkyrie and Maple Leaf were prisoners inside but unguarded. Good.
Tigress struck.
Even from across the room Valkyrie could see the universal 0/1 symbol on a large button. Pressing it deactivated Doctor Droid's pleasure chair and freed her teammate. The thick metal restraints opened, the electrical pulses stopped and the thick dildos retracted. With a gasp Maple Leaf was free!
Unsure what to do with her friend Valkyrie looked away, busying herself looking for Maple Leaf's costume. She found it and carried back to her teammate who simply sat drooling in the stiff chair.
"Uh, Maple Leaf, how are you?"
Her friend looked seemingly noticing her for the first time.
"I, uh, found your costume…"
Valkyrie took a step closer offering the spandex suit to the Canadian heroine.
Maple Leaf's eyes brightened, a smile formed.
"You should put it on before someone-"
Maple Leaf leapt out of the chair tackling Valkyrie and knocking her to the ground. The brunette pulled down the blonde's shoulder straps and began kissing her breasts. She pushed her leg between Val's and started rubbing.
"Maple Leaf!? What?"
The Canadian was still lost to the world through, hungry for more she had jumped the first body she'd seen. Unfortunately Val's body was still sensitive and stimulated. Normally she might have been able to put up a fight but instead she found herself responding. She returned Maple Leaf's kisses and put her long fingers between the woman's legs. After all those hours with smelly, brutal men the embrace of a soft, sweet woman was such a welcome release. Why had they not done this sooner?
The two heroines rolled around together, lost in ecstasy.
Valkyrie stomped on Don's knee again just to be sure it was broken, then threw the moaning ganger over her shoulder and carried him to the dumpster. She deposited him with his comrades and slammed the dumpster lid down. With both hands she crushed the lip of the lid, sealing the four gangers inside. She wondered if they would find a way out of their steel prison before they starved. She hoped they would not.
Walking across the old parking lot towards the warehouse she heard a cell phone chirp. Not hers. One of theirs.
She found it on the ground where she had beaten Mike with a cinderblock and answered it.
"Is this Mike?" (It sounded more like "Iz dis Moik?")
Tigress grunted affirmatively.
"Bring the girls to pier 33 at 3am, I have a buyer in Saudi Arabia who wants those two and the other captives."
Tigress grunted a third time.
"Don't be late." The droid hung up.
Tigress smiled and crushed the phone in her hand.
Revenge would be sweet.
Tigress found the torn ropes on the first floor and heard activity downstairs. She summoned her concentration and managed to hover a few inches off the floor and descend silently into the basement. The stench of sweat and other fluids filled her nostrils. She found herself wishing she'd done something more permanent to the gangers.
She heard whispered voices.
"I'm so sorry Val, I don't know what came over me…"
"It's, it's OK Jillian, it's OK. Actually it felt very…"
"Uh right. That's like, not really my thing ay?"
"Uh, right, not mine either, of course not…"
"So let's just forget what happened, and not tell anyone. Ever. Anything. Okay?"
"Uh, sure I guess. We'd better find your costume."
Tigress paused and waited a few minutes to enter. She felt she owed her friends that much respect after their ordeal. Finally she heard the soft sound of spandex sliding over skin and called out.
"Maple Leaf? Valkyrie? Are you all right?"
"Tigress? Down here, we're uh, we're OK."
Tigress walked the last few steps down and looked around. Her two friends seemed unharmed, even their costumes were intact. Maple Leaf smiled at her innocently, Valkyrie just looked at down, glancing at Maple Leaf out of the corner of her eye.
"We, uh, just escaped from the ganger's traps right Val? We're both fine."
Tigress glared at them, angry they would even consider keeping their ordeal a secret from her. Did they think she would be scared? Offended? Embarrassed? That was no way to run a team. But she knew that was a problem to deal with later.
"Of course you are."
"So, uh did you catch the gangers?"
"They're locked up." She smiled widely. Maple Leaf decided she didn't need to know any more.
"Uh, good, then, let's go."
"Yes. But one thing first."
Tigress could smell her friend's juices on the pleasure chair. She'd gathered what it had done to her. She tore a hunk of masonry out the wall and advanced on the machine. That at least she could take care of permanently.
Maple Leaf jumped in front of her. "No! Wait! Don't! We should uh…" Her mind raced, looking for an excuse. "Uh… study it! It uh… sapped my powers and we need to research why!" Desperately she looked to Valkyrie for reaffirmation.
The blonde just nodded, she'd seen Jillian's face, she understood.
Tigress grit her teeth, didn't either of them understand how serious this was? Obviosuly not. She satisfied herself by tossing the three hundred-pound stone at the wall shattering it into a thousand pieces. She turned on her heel and marched towards the stairs.
"I know where the droid is. Come with me."
Her teammates shrugged and followed her.
The droid waited near the oil tanker "Spirit of Condi Rice" with four crates ready to be loaded for Saudi Arabia. The cold didn't bother it, nor did the freezing rain. Nor did the knowledge it was about to be destroyed. It was a droid. A pawn. It had the emotions of a toaster oven.
But it was about to make some heroines feel very, very good.
"There it is!" Maple Leaf whispered from a nearby roof.
"I see four boxes, two for you and Valkyrie and the droid said something about other captives." Tigress added.
The three teammates huddled together and started to make a plan.
The droid saw them of course and heard every word. Dark nights and whispers mean nothing to a state-of-the-art combat droid with infrared eyes and shotgun mikes in its ears.
Finally…
"You're going down!" the Canadian yelled as she tossed several steel rods at the droid. They missed horribly of course but the droid reacted as programmed, dodging and seeking cover.
As the droid left its post Valkyrie flew up from under the pier and grabbed the cargo net carrying the four crates to safety.
Tigress dove out of the sky and tackled the droid smashing it into a cement wall.
The droid generated a human sounding groan.
Tigress pummeled it, smashing its plastic face and denting the titanium skull. Her kicks tore off the ceramic armor exposing the circuits inside and finally her fingers tore out the wires and hoses until the construct looked like a smashed vacuum cleaner.
Her teammates came up and high-fived her.
"All right! We beat Doctor Droid!"
"Showed him who's boss!"
"Let's check on the prisoners!"
Tigress and Val tore open the crates revealing two shapely women in one-piece bathing suits, long silk gloves with strips of silk draped the length of the their long lean legs. One was in vivid scarlet, the other in bright purple. Naturally they were ninjas.
"Oh hi" the purple haired oriental woman said when she woke up. "I'm Psyche and this is Ophelia, like, from the Ex-Titans? We're, like, mutant ninjas babes who are sworn to protect a world that hates and fears us."
"Uh right."
"We also die and come back to life a lot."
"Sure you do."
"Well I do it more then Psyche, she'd only come back twice but golly, I must have died a dozen times now."
"Uh-huh. So how'd you get here?"
"Doctor Droid's mutant-hunting Giant Purple Robots ambushed us at our secret school/mansion and captured us. We're lucky you came along."
"So, uh, you guys have been heroines for a while now right? We're kind of trying to get a feel for what the life is like. Like what are you guys are going to do next?"
"Dunno. We were going to get dragged off to Saudi Arabia to be sex slaves until the New Ex-Titans or Uncanny Ex-Titans or Ex-Titans13 or someone got around to rescuing us. Now, I guess we could travel to a nightmarish alternate future or maybe just get captured and brainwashed into attacking our teammates until the power of friendship redeems us."
"Or we might just do the dead thing for a bit, it's pretty restful."
With that the two scantly clad ninjas bounced off into the night.
Maple Leaf sighed and called her friends closer.
"Tigress, Val, I know today was tough and everything but I promise you, whatever happens, we'll never be that kind of heroine."
The three women hugged and laughed.
Epilogue 1 - The Doctor
Doctor Boyd got out of the cab somewhere in the abandoned warehouse district. He hugged his laptop computer closer to him and walked into the old Helix warehouse. Hesitantly he picked his way through the rubble of the failed high-tech company until he found the right door.
Red lights scanned him confirming his identity and the door opened allowing him into a gleaming stainless steel elevator.
It descended for ten minutes.
The door opened and he walked out in a plush reception room hundreds of feet below the city. He climbed into a comfortable armchair and waited.
The lights dimmed.
The opposite wall slid open and a steel and ceramic monstrosity emerged. It was a huge scorpion-like machine, eight legged with metallic tendrils and claws sprouting from unlikely places. Somehow Boyd recognized it, it was that machine Ultra Woman had fought last year, supposedly it was the mechanical body of none other than…
Doctor Droid.
Boyd suddenly realized he had no idea where he was or why he was here. He started to rise to his feet but a tendril landed on his shoulder and gently forced him down. Another retrieved his laptop and drew it back into the inner recesses of the cyborg monstrosity.
On the front of the machine armored plates unfolded like a flower revealing a withered human form inside. The body was covered with hoses and wires, connected to the machine like another component. It was alien, grotesque, horrifying.
But somehow familiar.
The ancient face smirked.
"Hello son."
Boyd looked closer, under the wires and hoses and metal plates, the face was his own.
"Oh I know, I know, I'm not exactly the father you remember am I? What did happen to your natural parents? Plane crash? Tragic fire?"
"It was a car accident…"
"Ah yes, of course, a convenient car accident killing your parents when you turned 18. Tell me Boyd, what about your grandparents? Your uncles and aunts? Cousins? Old friends?"
"I, we were never close with the rest of the family…"
"No, of course not. So you don't know anyone from before you turned 18 do you?"
"I…"
"And that never struck you as odd? No high school sweetheart? No old buddies? No long lost uncles? Ever wonder why?"
"I…" Boyd was dumbfounded. It was impossible but somehow…
"A while back I realized that even with my cybernetic systems I was mortal. There was just no way I could even explore every avenue of research I was interested in. No way I could even fully exploit my genius. A problem that you might appreciate."
Boyd nodded, how many times had he been forced to abandon research into robotics or aircraft or other fields due to lack of time?
"So I talked to my old buddy, the Clone Arranger, you may have heard of him, he was cloning Hollywood celebrities until the police found out. So I talked to him and decided there was a solution to my little problem. Clones. A half dozen of them with memory implants and subconscious programming to pursue all those areas my limited time denied me. There's Doctor Floyd the NASA scientist, Doctor Zoid the political scientist and you, Doctor Boyd, the biologist."
"It can't be…"
"It's interesting how you share my interest in superheroines, another chip off the old block I guess. Of course I did have to give you some pointers from time to time."
Boyd's head hurt, he had vague memories of midnight phone calls and strange e-mails advising him at critical junctures. He remembered spending weeks developing ways to enhance his subjects' hormonal systems and pleasure centers, seeking out ways to ensure his process would increase breast size and height. And then erasing the research, making it seem these were unexpected side effects…
"Didn't you ever wonder who was paying you good money to research something as absurd as 'psychokinetic activation'? It sounds like a made-up word! But I had faith in you son! And now you've gone and made the heroines of my dreams. Strong, brave, powerful but oh so easy to twist and control. Thank you son! Thank you!"
"You… you're welcome…" he answered numbly.
"Of course we do need to keep this research between us. I mean if anyone else were to learn how to do this, well what fun would that be?"
"I guess…"
"Good boy. Now I understand you have some promising subjects in Japan and Argentina…"
Epilogue 2 - The Heroines
The Global Protectors' dramatic rescue of two missing heroines made headlines the next day. Soon everyone was calling them the new Bikini Force.
Much to Maple Leaf's irritation.
Mayor Greenwood knew that appearing with 3 gorgeous women wouldn't hurt his reelection campaign so he awarded them metals and deputized them as members of the Megapolis Police. For some strange reason Detective Mulligan was too busy to attend.
Chairman Loveless found them some office space at the World Peace Institute and put them in touch with governments around the world. Within a week they had invitations to visit Ottawa, Stockholm and Nairobi.
Doctor Boyd canceled his appearance at the Kirby Institute, saying his research was not ready to be made public yet. After that he had trouble getting funds from scientific foundations but donations from several countries gave him money he needed to try the process on other subjects.
Kanika, Vendla and Jillian came to realize that Tigress, Valkyrie and Maple Leaf were real heroines and pretty good ones too. With surprisingly little hesitation they embraced their new lives.
And Maple Leaf promised herself that after some rookie mistakes in their first case, nothing like that would ever happen again.
Really.
Honest.
And the rest… is history.
Afterword
Thanks for reading! I hope everyone enjoyed this one.
Remember, I do this for free, your feedback is the only reward I get so please take some time to write me at Marcus_Lycus@hotmail.com OK?
And don't worry, the Global Protectors will return in Global Protectors - The Revenge of Blackchrome! Coming fairly soon I hope.
Marcus
August 2004